Against all odds
by Lara Cox
Summary: Mac and Rod's marriage is in freefall. Will they beat the odds and solve their problems or will the first female President get divorse? R & R
1. locked fellings dieing to get out

Authors's note: Hello! This is my first "Commander in Chief" fanfic (so far I have only written "Friends" fanfics). I'm a very huge fan of this show and now I came out with this idea for a fanfic that I hope you'll all enjoy.

**Just a couple of things you should know:** This story takes place six months after "Ruby Dubidoux and the Brown Bound express"… it will be set during the year 2015 (assuming that the pilot is really set during the year 2014 like I read in a web site) but the twist is that Rod took the job in NY and he is now the Commissioner of Baseball. Mac just started the race for the reelection and, against all odds, it seems like she is going to win. Becca and Horace are Seniors in high school and Amy is seven years old. Jim, Vince, Kelly and Dickie are still in Mac's staff. Kate Allen is still living in the White House and Nathan Templeton is… well… he is still Nathan.

**WARNINGS:** at the moment I started writing this story, only the first 9 episodes had been aired in my country, so I still hadn't seen anything after "The mom who came to dinner"… that means that (at least during the first chapters of this story) I will ignore everything that happened after chapter 9. I will also pretend that the problem with the "Exess Military Base" didn't happen when it happened in the show…it will happen in the moment this fic takes place. (and the same goes to the problem with the woman on dead row). But don't worry… I think everything will be clearer when you read the story.

Another thing… I won't write much (if nothing) about the political stuff… this story will be focused almost entirely in the family problems.

Well… I think that's all you need to know for now. I hope you enjoy reading this and, please, send me some reviews.

**Disclaimer:** the characters do not belong to me they belong to Touchstone television and the creator of Commander-In-Chief Mark Laurie. Everything here is fictional.

Against all odds 

**Chapter 1: **

**Locked feelings dieing to get out. **

**The White House… year 2015. Inside the presidential bedroom. **

Rod was very busy packing some of his clothes. Once again, he had to spend the weekend in New York because of his job. Ever since he had became the Baseball Commissioner he had spend almost every weekend in New York and sometimes he was forced to stay even longer. He really hated being away so much, he missed his family a lot, but he loved his new job and now people respected him more, so he was happier because of that… was he?

Suddenly, Mac, who entered in the bedroom, interrupted his thoughts. She was smiling, but her smile faded when she saw Rod's suitcases.

Mac- oh no! You have to go again! So soon?

Rod- sorry honey… I can't help it.

Rod hated doing this to her. During the six months he had been away so much that it was like he had left her alone with the weigh of being the President of the United States on her shoulders. Not to mention that she was fighting the battle of the re-election. For the first time in their marriage Rod wasn't there for her. But he reminded him self that Mackenzie didn't want him to be there in the way that Rod would have wanted to be there. Rod had refused to be just "The secretary of pillow talks" or "The secretary of making her breakfast" (like someone called him once) and Mac had refused to give him another position. Now they both had to deal with it.

Mac- But you just came back… you came back four days ago and I barely saw you…

Rod- I know… I hate this too honey…

Mac- How long will you be in New York this time?

Rod- four days… 

Mac successfully fought the tears that almost fell from her eyes while she watched Rod packing the last of his stuff. She hated her self for doing this… she was a strong, intelligent and independent woman… and she was suppose to be the most powerful person in the world… What was she doing whining because her husband wasn't around so much?

Rod- ok… I'm done… I should go now… 

He hugged Mac and kissed her softly on the lips. Then he took his suitcases and left.

Now that Rod was gone Mac felt free to lay in the bed and cry. She seldom cried, and obviously she never cried in front of people and she had never cried over her marriage so far… but this situation was getting over her strengths. It's been six months of barely seeing each other; six months of living separate lives and pursuing so different interest. They still loved each other and they tried to enjoy and make the best of the little time they had together… but Mac knew her marriage wouldn't survive a whole year like this… maybe it wouldn't even survive another month. So, in her bedroom, where no one could see her, Mac hugged Rod's pillow and cried for everything she felt and couldn't say, for everything she should have said and done but didn't because of her pride, for things she didn't even know she was feeling and for the huge mistake she made six months ago…

**Flashback: six months ago. **

It was 10 days before Thanksgiving Day of the year 2014. Kelly found a video of Nathan Templeton making racist comments, Vince bravely told everybody he was gay and had AIDS, a very stupid boy falsely claimed having slept with Becca, Ruby Dubidoux's daughter got into Brown, Jayne got fired and Mac and Rod's marriage started going in freefall for the very first time in 20 years.

It was very late in the night and Rod was in the residence, waiting nervously for Mac. He had to tell her that he wanted desperately to take the job in New York and now he was waking around the living room. He decided to calm down and sit on the couch to watch some TV while he waited… When he turned on the TV he started switching channels. Eventually the mention of his wife called his attention. "Saturday Night Live" was on and it was time for their segment called "Weekend Update"…

_Comedian- President Mackenzie Allen made the decision to start giving press conferences weekly and her husband, Rod Calloway, should start giving press conferences as well, otherwise we wouldn't know if the White House's center pieces are made with roses or lilies. _

The audience laughed at that joke, and Rod got so upset that he turned off the TV and threw the remote to the other couch. Right after that, Mac entered in the room with a worried expression on her face… She had postponed talking to Rod about his job offer for as long as he could, but now she had to face the uncomfortable talk. She noticed that Rod wasn't so good either.

Mac- hi… I believe we need to talk…

Rod- yes, we do…

Mac took a sit next to him. Very frustrated and tired.

Mac- look Rod… about the job offer you got… 

Rod- I'm gonna take it, Mac… I thought about it and that's what I really want…

Mac- but you would have to travel to New York a lot...

Rod- I understand it would be difficult… but we'll work it out.

Mac was beginning to panic; it was really going to happen. Rod would really take that job that would keep it in New York most of the time.

Mac- Rod… I really need you here…

Rod- and I really need to be more than just the First Gentleman… now, if I had more than that in here I would gladly stay.

Mac saw where this was going and shook her head.

Mac- I can't give you Jim's job.

Rod- It doesn't have to be Jim's job…

Mac- well… I can't move you to the West Wing at all.

Rod was shocked. He had been sure that if he threatened Mac with going to New York she would finally give him what he really wanted.

Rod- not even when is the only thing you can do to make me stay?

Mac sighed deeply. She thought it was obvious what she thought about this whole issue since she had discussed it with Rod hundredths of times.

Mac- How do you think it would look if the first Female President hired her own husband to be in her staff? Everybody would consider me week… people will think I'm nothing but a girl who can't do anything without her husband holding her hand.

Rod- so what? Who cares about what people think?

Mac thought she was just hearing things. Mr. Rod "I need to be Commissioner of Baseball so people notice how manly I am" Calloway couldn't have possibly said that.

Mac- what!

Rod- look… if you gave me a position in the West Wing I would stay and we would both be happier… can't you see that?

Mac stood up angry and very frustrated.

Mac- right now I can't see anything but your double standard!

Rod- what double standard?

Mac- is wrong for me to care about people considering me "a week girl", but is ok for you to annoy the hell out of everybody because you are a big baby who can't take a few jokes about being the First Gentleman?

Rod weekly and very unconvincingly said…

Rod- it's different…

Mac- yes… the difference is that MY job requires me not only to be incredibly strong but to LOOK incredibly strong in front of others.

Rod- hiring your husband doesn't make you week…

Mac- and being the First Gentleman doesn't make you a woman.

They both sighed very deeply. Mac had her hands in her waist and Rod was holding his head with his hands. Their argument wasn't going anywhere. They both wanted to get their way.

Rod- I know that… the thing is… I need to do something for my own life too. I'm so tired of being ALWAYS one step behind you…

Mac- always? I have only being the President for a few months…

Rod- and what about when the party asked YOU to take a place at the congress? They asked YOU… not me.

Mac rolled her eyes and she was loosing her patience.

Mac- Could you let that go already! It's been 11 years…

Rod- you are right… this isn't about that anyway.

Mac- then why is this about?

Rod- this is about me not being happy with our current situation…

Suddenly an idea that scared the hell out of Mac hit her. She looked suspiciously at Rod and asked.

Mac- Rod… are you leaving me? You want the divorce?

Rod- no! Mac… I just think I would be happier if I were the Commissioner of Baseball… but I still love you, this isn't about US…

To prove that he was telling the truth, he hugged Mac and then kissed her very passionately. They melted in the kiss for a while and when they break it to take some air Mac said…

Mac- I want you to be happy.

Rod- Believe me darling, the job in New York is for the best… and I'll still be here most of the time… it will be like it 's always been…

They kissed some more and then went to the bedroom. After making love passionately Mac looked at him worriedly and hold onto him not wanting to let him go…

Mac- Rod… tell me everything will be ok… tell me WE will be fine…

Rod- we will…

Back to the present … In the situation room. 

It was a new day. Very early in the morning, Mackenzie Allen was in the situation room. Her Vice President, her Chief of Staff and other member of her staff were there too. They were dealing with the possible closure of a military base in Mackenzie's home state. An independent commission had given a report saying that the closure of the Exess base was completely necessary because keeping it opened was a waste of money. Mac was stunned.

Mac- How did this happen? I mean… Teddy Bridges made a deal that protected that base from a potential closure. This wasn't supposed to happen! 

Warren Keaton- but unfortunately it did happen.

Mac- I can't let them close that base… all the people who work there would close their jobs and we are talking about people I grew up with. A whole town depends on that base to live for God's sake!

Jim- But, Madame President, if you step in to try to stop the closure and the Base gets closed anyway you would look inefficient… so I think it would be better if you don't step in this at all…

Mac knew that was right. Plus, she couldn't step in to prevent a base's closure just because it was personal to her. That wouldn't be fair.

Mac- so… is better to be inefficient than to seem inefficient? What a town!

Warren Keaton considered it was time to say what everybody seemed to be forgetting.

Warren- Does anyone care that closing the Exess Base might be the best for the country?

Jim- no, you are the only one who cares about what's best for the country, Mr. Vice-President… the rest of us just came here to take notes.

Jim's sarcastic comment wasn't very welcomed but they let it go. After a while, Mackenzie decided to take a little break. She went to the Oval Office to call her husband who was in New York and wouldn't come back until the following morning. She sited in the desk, picked up the phone and dialed the number of Rod's apartment in New York but nobody was there. Very frustrated, Mac decided to go back to her job and talk to Rod later.

The following morning… Oval Office. 

President Mackenzie Allen was talking to Vince Taylor in her office. She looked gorgeous with a nice blue suit and her hair was looking impeccable as always.

Vince- ma'am President… Mike Stanton is coming this afternoon, as we arranged.

Mac- but my meeting with him won't appear in the agenda… right?

Vince- no, it won't. That has already been taken care off.

Mac- Thank you, Vince.

Vince started to leave, but then he remembered something and turned around.

Vince- oh… and the First Gentleman called. He is not arriving until 5 pm.

Mac's face saddened a little bit.

Mac- but he was supposed to be here right now!

Vince didn't know what to say or how to react to that.

Vince- I don't know what happened, ma'am.

Mac- never mind… I'll call him right now to see what's going on…

Mac was very upset and that was making Vince feel very uncomfortable. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do when it came to her personal problems. He didn't even talk to her about personal things because he felt it would be unprofessional, but since he cared about her as a friend he felt the need to help. If only he knew how…

Vince- if you need me I'll be in my office.

Jim Gardner was heading to the Oval office, but he decided to drop by Vince's office first to make sure that the President wasn't too busy.

Jim- hi Vince… is the president free to talk to me about the Exess issue?

Vince hesitated for a few seconds.

Vince- she is the phone with the First Gentleman… but you better wait to talk to her, she is all upset because he is coming later than he said he would.

Jim rolled her eyes.

Jim- shocking! I'm surprised that he is coming at all… what happened? Did someone remind him that he actually has a family here?

Now it was Vince's turn to roll his eyes.

Vince- look… it's not up to you to judge the First Gentleman.

Jim- no… but we are the ones who have to bear with the President's bad mood because he is neglecting her.

Vince looked at him with curiosity.

Vince- Are you sure you are not the one with the bad mood because you have a crush on her?

Very nervously, Jim looked around to make sure that nobody else listened to that.

Jim- I don't have a crush on her… and for God's sake… shut up!

Vince's laughed at Jim's nervousness.

Vince- We are only ones in this office! Don't worry… No one will know you have a crush on the President… I can keep a secret.

Jim- I do not have "a crush" on her! What is it? Nine grade?

Vince- sorry… no one will know you "are in love" with the President.

Jim was getting tired of Vince accusing him of having romantic feelings for Mackenzie.

Jim- could you stop that already? Is getting annoying…

Vince- whatever! Deny it if you want… is your life. As long as you are very aware that she will never reciprocate your feelings.

Jim- there are no feelings to reciprocate!

Vince- ok then…

However, Vince was sure that Jim was in love with Mac but he was also sure that she was deeply in love with her husband. Vince looked worriedly how Jim walked away and headed to the Oval Office. He shook his head… Jim's crush on Mac had catastrophe written all over it.

To be continued… 

Please… send me some reviews… tell me what you think.


	2. You are not here and I stumble

**Chapter 2: **

**You are not here and I stumble. **

**Inside the Oval Office. **

Mackenzie was calling Rod like she said she would. She dialed the number of Rod's apartment in New York and waited until somebody picked up. It was a woman….

Woman- hello, this is Rod Calloway's residence… Who is speaking?

Mac was stunned to hear that a woman was answering Rod's phone… and the weirdest thoughts came to her head. With a tone of voice that was ruder than she intended said…

Mac- This is President Mackenzie Allen…

The woman on the other side of the phone got nervous and exited at the same time.

Woman- oh! Madame President… is an honor to talk to you.

Mac rolled her eyes wishing she could execute that woman if she touched Rod in any way.

Mac- thanks. May I talk to my husband, please?

Woman- I'm sorry… but Mr. Calloway is in the shower…

Mac almost fell from her chair. Why was Rod taking a shower if there was a woman in his apartment? What the hell was going on?

Mac- then what the hell are YOU doing there?

The woman suddenly understood what Mac was thinking and she rushed to explain everything.

Woman- ma'am President… I'm just cleaning the apartment. I'm the new maid. That's all.

Deep down, Mac knew the woman was probably telling the truth. There were no indications of the contrary. Plus, common sense told her not to freak out unless she knew for certain that Rod was cheating on her. She took a deep breath and said…

Mac- whatever… Can you tell my husband to call me back as soon as he cans?… Thank you… 

Without even waiting for an answer, Mac hung up the phone and decided to go back to her duties.

A couple of hours later… 

The President was talking to her Chief of Staff about a decision she had just made.

Mac- I won't do anything to stop the closure of the Exess base.

Jim was a bit surprised. He wasn't sure if that was exactly the right decision but he figured that President Allen would have special consideration to her home state.

Jim- Are you sure about that, ma'am? It might cost you valuable votes in Connecticut.

Mac- yeah… I know… but I can't let my personal feelings or interest interfere with what's best for the country.

Jim- that's right… I'll tell Kelly to prepare a statement for the press…

Jim stood up and then Mackenzie added.

Mac- Jim… Make sure the workers of the base get an appropriate monetary compensation for the lost of their jobs.

Jim- of course… I'll prepare the paperwork necessary to make that order effective.

Mac- whenever you have the papers ready bring them to me so I can sign then…

Vince Taylor suddenly entered in the Oval Office.

Vince- excuse me, Madame President, the First Gentleman is on the phone… line 2 

Mac- great… thanks

She picked up the phone and Vince and Jim left the Oval Office.

Mac- hello Rod…

Rod- hi… they told me you called…

Mac- yes… I called you, but some girl answered.

She tried her best to sound like she wasn't completely jealous about that fact.

Rod- oh… yes… my new cleaning lady.

Mac- right… it surprised me because I didn't know you hired someone.

She tried to sound very casual but her suspicions were evident.

Rod- I had to honey… my place here was a mess… but that's such a trivial matter… why would I bother you talking to you about my employees?

Mac- you are right about that…

Just when Mackenzie was beginning to think that maybe Rod wasn't cheating on her after all… he said the words that no man should ever said when he is trying to prove that the woman who answered the phone is just the cleaning lady.

Rod- by the way… I won't be able to go home today… I'll have to go tomorrow morning. Things got really complicated at work… I'm sorry.

Mac was furious. That wasn't what she needed right now. She had a country to run and she didn't need her husband to cause her more stress and to add more disappointments and worries to her already complicated life.

Mac- Rod, you can't keep doing this to me! You are never here… and I don't know what are you doing, or WHOM are you doing….

Rod interrupted her, very offended by the insinuation.

Rod- I'm not cheating on you! I would never do that to you! And don't you think you would have find out by now if I were cheating?

He had a point… the press would have caught Rod if he were cheating. And Mac knew that in her mind. However, she couldn't be reasonable when her marriage was in jeopardy.

Mac- I can't believe you, Rod! I'm not sure if I can trust you… 

Rod was getting very upset. He couldn't believe Mac would accuse him of cheating. Didn't she know him at all?

Rod- maybe you are just paranoid because you are the one who is cheating!

Mac- Go to hell, Rod!

Mac froze when she saw that Jim was standing in there. He had just entered to the Oval Office to give her a message.

Jim- I'm so sorry Madame President… I just came to tell you that Mike Stanton is waiting for you. He's with Vince in the Roosevelt Room.

Mac felt very uncomfortable with the situation. Jim heard her send Rod to hell… she didn't want anyone to know about her problems with her husband. She talked to Rod again.

Mac- listen Rod... I have to go… I'll talk to you when you get home.

She got up and noticed that Jim was still looking at her. In a warning tone she said…

Mac- Don't even ask…

Jim raised his arms defensibly.

Jim- I wasn't planning to ask anything, ma'am…

He watched Mac as she left to have her talk with Mike Stanton. Jim knew that it was wrong, but in that moment he couldn't help smiling a little bit.

**That night. In the residence. Mac's Room. **

Mac's little daughter, Amy, had been having more nightmares than usual lately… probably because she really missed her parents since her father was in New York most of the time and her mother was incredibly busy. So, that night Mac had allowed Amy to sleep in her room. Mother and daughter were trying to fall sleep but Amy suddenly said…

Amy- mom… Is daddy coming to see my play?

Amy had gotten a part in the school play and she wanted her parents to be there. Mac had no idea if Rod would show up, so, half sleep, answered…

Mac- he is going to try, honey…

Amy- and will you come to see me?

Mac- I'm going to try, honey…

Amy was very disappointed. She barely saw her parents anymore.

Amy- You always say that… never mind! Is a stupid play anyway… 

Mac was fully awake now. She looked worriedly at her daughter and very seriously said.

Mac- don't say that, Amy… I bet is a nice play and you will be great… I'll do my best to go… I promise you that unless I have an emergency I'll go… I really want to see you play…

But Amy was in a bad mood and there was no way to make her feel better.

Amy- is ok… I'm not even the star… I have a stupid small part.

Mac- Amy! You may not be the star but your part is very important too…

Amy- I just play the housekeeper…

Mac- and that's important… The Housekeeper gets everything done, sees everything, hears everything, knows everything…

Amy- but I'm only have like two lines…

Mac- Well… that's because your character knows how to keep a secret… and that's important.

Amy smiled feeling satisfied with that.

Amy- you are right! I can't wait to tell daddy I got an important part after all… I'm the one who keeps all the secrets! Is daddy coming tomorrow?

Mac- he said so… now go to sleep…

But Amy didn't want to sleep… she wanted to ask her mother everything she had in her head.

Amy- mom... are you and daddy getting divorced?

Mac startled and she got very serious again.

Mac- no! Why do you think that?

Mac could imagine why… but she wanted to hear that from Amy.

Amy- A boy in my class told me that his parents are divorced… and he says that divorce means that your daddy lives in a different house than your mommy… and it also means that your mommy and daddy are sad and yell all the time…

Mac- Amy… your daddy lives in a different house only because he works in a different city… we explained you that… remember?

Amy- but I heard Becca and Horace taking once, and they said that you are daddy were in trouble and you were probably getting divorce…

Mac was now very mad… she would have to talk very seriously with the twins.

Mac- Becca and Horace don't know what they are talking about! Your father and I are fine.

That was, at least, what Mac hoped with all her heart.

Amy- so… Do you love daddy?

Mac- I'll always love your father… now go to sleep!

**The next morning… Vince's office. **

Vince was talking on the phone with a judge of the Supreme Court.

Vince- I know what the Supreme Court decided… but I have in my hands an executive order, given by President Mackenzie Allen, which says very clearly that Linda Bodum's execution MUST be cancelled… (He paused to hear the judge's response and then continued talking) well… because it's unconstitutional to execute a person with an IQ lower than the normal… you know that! (He paused again and then continued) yes! That's what I'm saying… President Allen granted Linda Bodum pardon… (Another long pause, and then Vince continued again) of course… We will send you the executive order with the President's signature right now… have a nice day.

He hung up the phone and saw Jim standing in there.

Jim- hi Vince… I have to give the President the papers she needs to sign.

Vince looked in his desk, found some papers and handed them to Jim.

Vince- here you have… I need the one about Linda Bodum to be signed urgently…

Jim- ok… I'll give it to the President right now… Where is the President by the way?

Vince- In the residence… doing her exercises.

Everybody knew that Mackenzie was really into sports and that she always exercised when she could… specially when she was nervous or stressed and needed to clear out her head. Even thought she preferred outdoor activities (which she still practiced from time to time), it was more practical to her (due to security reasons) to exercise indoors and she had turned one of the residence's rooms into a gym. Jim nodded…

Jim- ok… Thank you, Vince.

**The residence. The President's gym. **

Mac was running on a treadmill. She was so focused in her exercises and so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't hear Jim, who shyly entered in the room. Jim, since Mac hadn't noticed yet, took a few seconds to watch her… she was wearing a simple T-shirt and shorts and she had her hair neatly tied up with a pony-tail. She didn't look very presidential, but Jim couldn't help thinking that she was very sexy when she worked out (even when she was sweating and had her face red). Jim knew that he had to let the President know that he was there, so he cleared her throat and said…

Jim- excuse me, Madame President… 

Mac startled at first, then she got down the treadmill to find out what Jim wanted.

Mac- hi Jim… is something wrong?

Jim- no ma'am… I just needed you to sign these papers right now…

Jim handed her the papers and a pen… Mac examined them for a few minutes and Jim couldn't stop staring at her while she read the papers.

Mac- well… everything seems to be in order…

Mackenzie noticed that Jim was looking at her in a estrange way. She looked at him with curiosity, wondering what was wrong with Jim who lately stared at her more than he should.

Mac- is something wrong, Jim?

Jim- no, ma'am… here you have a pen to sign the papers…

Mac- ok…

She smiled and took the pen to sign the papers. After signing them, Mackenzie and Jim made eye contact for a few seconds. He couldn't control him self anymore… throwing all his common sense away, he leaned towards Mac and kissed her on the lips.

To be continued… 

Hi! Thank you to the people who read this and reviewed! It meant a lot to me… thank you so much!

And don't worry! I think Mac belongs with Rod… she won't end up with Jim… but I'm just trying to make things more interesting…


	3. The good, the bad and the ugly

**Chapter 3: **

**The good, the bad and the ugly. **

In the President's gym… 

Jim's kiss took Mac completely off guard… she didn't expected so, at first, she didn't know how to react. She kissed him back for a few seconds… she responded to the kiss because it was exactly what she needed (even when she really needed it to come from Rod), but then she realized what she was doing and pushed him away…

Mac- no! Stop it, Jim!

It was then when they saw Rod. He was standing at the gym's door watching at them in shock. Rod looked at them in disbelief… and Mac looked at her husband feeling completely embarrassed and scared of what he might think and do… all she wanted was to fix the situation. "say something clever, say something clever" She thought… but she couldn't speak… the three of them were speechless… Mac kept thinking: "Just say something… it doesn't have to be clever… just break the silence". Rod looked at her as begging for an explanation… and Mac thought: "come on! Nothing you could say can make this worse… so just say something". Finally she managed to say…

Mac- Rod… I thought you were coming at 10… 

Mac mentally kicked her self. Her nervousness made her say the worse thing she could have said. She thought: "yeah… I should have used my right to remain in silence". Rod, very sarcastically and angry said…

Rod- oh… that's right! I came earlier… I'm sorry… finish what you were doing, please!

Rod was about to storm out, but Mac, finally putting her self together, grabbed his arm and stopped him.

Mac- Rod… wait! I sear this is not what it looks like… 

Rod continued his sarcasm.

Rod- oh... I'm so glad! Because it looked like you two were kissing… 

Jim- I can explain everything…

Now Rod was really angry… he yelled at both of them… 

Rod- COME ON! You two are supposed to be the smartest political minds in America… and that's all you can come up with! Stupid clichés? And the same day YOU accuse ME of cheating! There should be shame on you, Mackenzie!

And there was… she had never felt so embarrassed in her whole life. Jim was embarrassed too, he thought: "To hell with everything! I'm moving to another country"…

Jim- I'll give Vince those papers; ma'am President… and you will have my resignation later by the end of the day.

He took the papers and left them alone… Rod looked at Mac's eyes and very seriously and very disappointed he said…. Rod- really Mackenzie… an affair with JIM? Do you hate me THAT much? 

Mac shook her head and tried to explain everything…

Mac- I'm not having an affair with him, Rod… I swear to God that there is nothing going on between Jim and me…

Rod- You were kissing! I saw you with my own eyes!

Mac saw the hurt expression in Rod's face and she felt the tears coming to her eyes.

Mac- what you saw is the only thing that has ever happened with Jim… I swear nothing like that has ever happened before… he just came to give me some papers to sign and kissed me… totally out of the blue.

Rod wanted to believe her, he really did, but he couldn't.

Rod- I can't believe it only happened once… Come on! Do you think I'm stupid? And even if he initiated it, I can't believe he would dare to do such a thing if you didn't give him any indications that he could…

Mac- I swear I didn't do anything… he just kissed me by surprise…and it really only happened once. Believe me Rod… I didn't want to kiss him… you saw me pushing him away and telling him to stop… you saw that… right?

Rod- yes, I saw you pushed him away… but after a while… you did respond to the kiss at first…

Mac didn't know how to respond to that, all she could come up with is to reply with the truth… 

Mac- you are right… I did kiss him back for a few seconds… but that's it… I swear it meant nothing to me… Jim means nothing to me…

Rod hit the wall with his hand and very angry yelled.

Rod- But he meant enough for you to hurt me and ruin our marriage…

Mac couldn't help thinking that the marriage was already ruined because of Rod's new job. She simply broke in tears and said…

Mac- I'm so sorry, Rod… I shouldn't have let it happen. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me lately… I'm don't know why suddenly I'm not acting like my self… I hate this new me… I hate that I can't sleep… I hate that now I cry at nights… I hate that I cry at all… I never cried… I never was so lost, I never found my self like this… kissing men that I shouldn't be kissing, that I didn't want to be kissing… Oh God! I hate my self for doing this to you… 

Rod realized that the kiss wasn't completely Mac's fault… It wasn't even Jim's fault… It was something that simply happened because of everything that was going wrong with his own relationship with Mac. He couldn't take it anymore…

Rod- we can't keep living like this…

Mac- no… we can't…

Rod nodded, knowing exactly what he had to do… 

Rod- I'll move to the guest room.

Mac was shocked… she didn't expect this at all… she expected Rod to realize he made a mistake by leaving and come back home definitely.

Mac- what! To the guest-room?

Rod- yes…

Mac was completely confused and angry… 

Mac- You want to sleep in different bedrooms? If you hate me that much why not leave the house and live in New York seven days a week?

Rod- Come on, Mac! I don't hate you… and I might be incredibly disappointed and incredibly mad at you… but I would never do anything that might ruin your Presidency….

Finally the coin dropped…

Mac- so… what you want is to fake our marriage… pretend that everything is fine. 

She said that incredibly disappointed and with a tone of voice that reflected how sad she felt at that moment. Rod was also devastated… but he considered that what he said was the better option given the circumstances and given what just happened.

Rod- at least we wouldn't be fooling our selves like we have been doing these last months…

Mac- But Rod… I want to make our marriage work… I still love you…

Rod- I don't think I can forgive you for what I saw here… I'm sorry… in public I can keep the appearances but in private you and me are done…

Mac felt terrible, she never thought she would ever hear Rod saying those words. Then she felt sick when she thought about the idea of faking a happy marriage.

Mac- What if I don't want to keep the appearances? What if I want you to do what you really want, witch is leave?

Rod raised his arms defensibly.

Rod- that's your choice! It's your presidency the one that would be ruin… I mean… you can't afford another scandal with the elections coming up… it would be like giving Nathan Templeton the Oval Office in a plate…

The whole conversation still seemed surreal to Mac. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. She decided to ask what she desperately needed to know….

Mac- Rod, Do you still love me?

Rod looked down, not wanting to answer… he still loved her with all his heart. That's why it hurt him so much seeing her kissing Jim. But he couldn't admit it, instead he said weakly…

Rod- that's not the point…

Mac- let me tell you something… let's make it the point! Let's talk about our feelings… just to be original… Because I'm sure that worrying about Nathan Templeton taking over the Oval Office is what EVERY couple do when they are considering breaking up!

Rod didn't have time to response to that sarcasm because, in that moment, a secret service agent entered in the room.

Agent- sorry ma'am President, you are needed in the Oval Office for your Staff meeting… Mackenzie looked at the time… it was 9:00 am… She was already late. Mac- thank you… 

The agent left and Mac explained to Rod.

Mac- Dickie is going to tell us the results of the first polls since I started the campaign for the reelection…

Rod- but we were in a middle of…

Mac interrupted him felling very upset. 

Mac- I don't have time to discuss a fake marriage Rod… I have to take a shower, go to the Oval Office and pretend I'm the most powerful person in the world…

Half an hour later… The Oval Office. Just before Mackenzie Allen (Now recently showered and well dressed with a suit) entered in the Oval Office, Jim stopped her… 

Jim- excuse me, Ma'am President… here you have my resignation letter and I'm very sorry for what I did…

Mac- but Jim…

Jim handed her a letter and interrupted her.

Jim- I just wanted to know what will you tell everybody about my resignation … and when… and don't worry, I won't tell anyone about… the incident.

Mac took the letter and broke it into little pieces.

Mac- There is nothing to tell Jim, nothing happened… nothing… we will continue working as usual and forget about the incident. Just don't let it happen again and we'll be ok… Did I explain my self clearly?

Jim was happy because he still had his job… but it hurt him that Mac wanted to forget everything and pretend it never happened.

Jim- yes ma'am… and thank you…

Mac and Jim entered in the Oval Office, Dickie, Kelly, Vince and like 10 other people who worked in the President's campaign were there. And, of course, the President's "runny buddy", Warren Keaton, was there too. They all stood up immediately and greeted her. Then she said…

Mac- Good Morning… you can take a sit… so… tell me something, Dickie, Do you have good news or bad news? Are our chances of wining incredibly bad?

Dickie looked at the others, who already knew the news and then she told them to the President. 

Dickie- ma'am President… according to this polls we are going to win… this elections are ours.

Mac was stunned. She certainly didn't expect the first poll to go so well. Dickie handed her a list of all the States… it said who would win in each State (according to the poll) and how many electoral votes represented each states. Mac couldn't believe what she was reading… 

Mac- is this a joke?

Dickie- no ma'am…

Mac looked at the list again… It was too good to be truth… no one would have guessed she would do this well so soon.

Mac- We have the 270 electoral votes we need…

Dickie- 279 actually… you are winning in California, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey… just to name the bigger ones… and Connecticut is a sure thing… of course… you can forget Texas and Florida…

Mac- of course... Templeton practically owns Florida…

Dickie- yeah… I don't think that State will cause problems this time.

But Mac didn't care... according to the poll she didn't need Florida to win. She was overjoyed… it looked like it was really going to happen… she could really win after all if those numbers didn't change. No more borrowed presidency… she would win the presidency in the elections. Vince, Jim, Kelly and Dickie were over the moon and started congratulating her and Warren.

Mac- Thank you… I would love to say a few words… this numbers… I couldn't have gotten them without all of you… this poll means that the American people think I'm doing a good job and that job couldn't have been done without this great staff… I'm proud to work with each of you… now... I must add what we all know: this is only the first poll and those numbers are going to be history by the day of the elections if we don't continue working really hard and doing what's best for this nation. So… congratulations for what we have accomplished so far… and good luck for the rest of the race… because we will need it…

**Very late at night. In the residence. **

After a long day of working, Mac had came back to the residence only to find out that she had missed dinner once again, that everybody was already sleep and that Rod had really moved to the guest room. She went to her own bedroom and tried to get some sleep her self, but she couldn't… one thing was sleeping alone when Rod was in New York, but sleeping alone having her husband, who was mad at her, in the next room was so much worse. She couldn't take it anymore. She got up and decided so walk around the residence. She checked that her kids were sleeping well and then she passed by the guest room were Rod was spending the night… She took a glimpse inside and saw him sleeping. She sighted and put her arms around her own body fighting the urge to step in the guest room, get into Rod's bed, make love with him and fall deep sleep right in his arms.

She decided to go to kitchen and have some tea. "What a day" she thought… Why was it that when one part of her life was going great the other one, inevitably, fell apart? It seemed that she would win the elections, but her marriage (after moths of going in freefall) hit the bottom. Why couldn't she have it all? Why was it that with the good came the bad and the ugly?

To be continued… 

So…. What do you think! I hope you are enjoying this! Thank you for all the reviews I got so far… keep it up…

And I'm sorry I ruined the mystery… I didn't want people hating this story and stop reading it because they have a wrong idea… sorry! But I do have a planned something big for the ending… so… you have to continue reading to find out about that.

By the way… the twins will appear in chapter 5 and Amy's role in the play doesn't have a connection with Rod's housekeeper…

Well… thank you for reading and reviewing!

Lara


	4. A potential bedroomgate

**Chapter 4: **

**A potential "bedroom-gate"**

**White House. Inside the residence. That same night. **

Kate Allen entered in the kitchen because she wanted some warm milk and she saw her daughter there having a tea. Mac startled and looked at her mother shocked because she would have swore everybody was sleeping. Trying to keep her voice down Mac said…

Mac- mom… what are you doing here?

Kate- what are you doing and why is Rod sleeping in the guest room?

Mac- mmmm… what did he say about that?

Kate- he said a lame excuse about he snoring and not wanting to disturb you that only Amy bought… and he also made us swear that we wouldn't tell anyone from outside the family that he is sleeping in a different bedroom…

Mac- well…

Kate- what's really going on?

Mac felt tears coming to her eyes again, but she was able to hold them and pull the "invincible woman" charade in front of her mother. Showing no emotions she said:

Mac- we just got separated for a while… 

She said it like it was no big deal and like it wasn't hurting her like her.

Kate- But why? Is it because of his new job?

Mac- partly yes… we've been having problems because of that for a while… but then something happened this morning…

Kate- oh… what happened?

Mac didn't want to say out loud what she had done ever again… but she had to talk to someone and she couldn't think in anyone better than her mother.

Mac- I kissed Jim Gardner… 

Kate was in shock… what she had just heard couldn't be true.

Kate- what?

Mac- I kissed Jim Gardner… well… he kissed me but I didn't stop him… well… I stopped him but not soon enough, and Rod saw us…

Kate- oh my God!

Mac- I know… is terrible …

Kate- no… if you had kissed any other man it would have been terrible… but you kissed Jim… so this is… terrible multiplied for 1000…

Now Mac couldn't hold her tears anymore.

Mac- I know mom! How could I let this happen? And with Jim… oh God! Rod was sooo angry at me… he must be hating me right now and I can't blame him…

Kate approached Mac to hold her tight while she cried a river… 

Mac- Rod hates me, mom… she looked at me and said: "you and me are done"… and it was entirely my fault… I did everything wrong…

Kate- No! Mac…He left… he left you alone…

Mac- because I refused to give him a position in the West Wing… I could have simply done that and everything would be fine… why didn't I do that? Was it really that hard to me? It was what he really wanted… Why couldn't I just give him that little thing?

Kate hated seeing her daughter like that.

Kate- honey… you can't keep punishing your self for that… or for what you did with Jim… we all make mistakes… you should forgive your self…

Mac- but Rod is not going to forgive me… he moved to another bedroom… he spends like 4 days a week here but he needs to spend then in a different bedroom… that's how much I hurt him.

Kate- but… what is going to happen now? Is he going to leave the House? Is he going to live in New York permanently?

Mac really didn't know. Rod told her he was willing to stay and fake a happy marriage for the sake of her presidency… But that idea caused Mac nauseas.

Mac- I don't know… he wants to stay and keep the appearances…

Kate nodded understanding that perfectly.

Kate- of course… that makes sense.

Mac shook her head, and Kate had never seen her daughter talking so seriously in private.

Mac- NOTHING of this makes sense, mom.

Kate- come on! I know you hate that kind of charades… but in this case pretending is mandatory…

Mac- I'm not so sure about that…

Kate tried to put some sense into her daughter's head.

Kate- look… I know I'm not a political expert… but if I were in your staff I would tell you that the WORST thing you could do during an election year is to prance around as a woman in the middle of a divorce.

Mac suddenly got pretty scared… she didn't want to acknowledge that her mother was right. In a serious tone she said…

Mac- First of all… I never "prance", second of all… you are not in my staff, and third of all… I'm not getting divorce… we are just separated… is temporary… we will fix this…

Kate- I hope so honey, I want you to be happy… but you have to prepare your self to accept that, after what happened, he might want the divorce… maybe not now… but eventually… after you win the elections he might ask you the divorce.

Mac felt like if somebody had slapped her on the face.

Mac- Don't say that! I know is true… but don't say that!

Kate- I just want you to be ready for everything…

Mac nodded. Her mother was right. She had to prepare her self for every possible scenario.

**The next morning. Inside the Oval Office. **

Mac was starting a new day. At that moment, Vince was talking to her about the next State Dinner.

Vince- it's been confirmed that the Prime Minister of England and her husband are arriving on Friday morning, Ma'am President.

England had a new Prime Minister, a woman called Christine Johnson, and she was about to do her first official visit to the United States in four days. Of course, after the Prime Minister's meeting with President Allen, there would be a very fancy State Dinner.

Mac- that's great Vince….

Vince- and you have to talk to Jim about the topics to be discussed in the meeting…. He will come to see you in an hour.

Mac looked worried for a few minutes. It would be her first moment alone with Jim since "The Incident". But she guessed that there would not be a problem. She made it perfectly clear that she wasn't interested in him and he would have to behave like a professional adult.

Mac- ok... and could you please tell Dickie that I need to talk to him? If he can come right now it would be great…

Vince- no problem, ma'am...

Vince went to get Dickie like the president asked. After giving it a lot of consideration, Mackenzie decided to talk to Dickie about her problem because she needed to know how it would affect her politically if it came out to the public light. She needed to be prepared for a possible scandal. And she knew she could trust Dickie because he wanted her to win the elections very badly… He wouldn't let her fall; it was a matter of professional pride. Finally, Dickie entered in the Oval Office.

Mac- Good morning, Dickie…

Dickie- Good morning, ma'am President.

He took a sit right in front of the President and she, as usual, went straight to the point.

Mac- you must be wondering why I needed to see you.

Dickie- yes, actually… Is something wrong?

Mac thought carefully her words… 

Mac- well… I have a problem… and I need you to tell me exactly how bad can it hurt me politically.

Dickie- What kind of problem?

Mac- the secret kind… it's a family problem…

Dickie was now concerned. He didn't want anything to ruin his boss's chances to win the elections after all they had done.

Dickie- Nothing serious, I hope.

But he knew it had to be serious. Otherwise Mackenzie Allen wouldn't bother in asking about the political repercussions of the problem.

Mac- Rod and I are separated… we are sleeping in different bedrooms.

Dickie- oh… I'm so sorry ma'am President… Are you getting divorced?

The truth was that she had not idea.

Mac- for now it's only a separation… nothing legal yet… How bad would it be if Rod and I got…?

She couldn't even say it. But she had to accept that possibility. Dickie understood what she was talking about.

Dickie- well… a regular Presidential Candidate getting divorce is bad… but the First Female president… well… it would be terrible… I'm sure there would be huge drop on the polls…

Mac was concerned….

Mac- how huge?

Dickie- I don't know… 5 or 6 points…

To Mac that wasn't a big deal… 

Mac- 5 points? We are talking about five stupid points? Dickie… I drop 5 points every time I get my period… 5 points is nothing… I can take it…

Dickie- but it could be more! It could be a lot more… I can't be sure… unless…

Mac- unless what?

Dickie- I could make a poll with hypothetical questions to see how people would react if you got divorce…

Mac nodded at first… but then she came back to her senses and shook her head.

Mac- no! I won't make a poll to ask if is ok for me to get divorce… it's not the American people's business!

Dickie put a face that clearly meant: "Come on! Get real!" But he said something else instead.

Dickie- with all due respect, ma'am… the American People have a funny way of deciding on their own what is their business…

Mac nodded. She knew he was right.

Mac- yes… but we are not discussing a divorce yet… It's just a separation…

Dickie- It doesn't make any difference…. It would be just as bad…

Mac- it's just… the idea of pretending…

Dickie- I know is not the best situation, Ma'am President, but as your advisor I must tell you that if the press finds out a Monday that you and your husband are sleeping in separate bedrooms, by Tusday everybody will be referring to you and Rod as "Rokenzie".

Mac understood with that just how just bad it would be. She would hate is if her love life got exposed like she was some kind of Hollywood celebrity… her whole life would be reduced to a love scandal. No one would notice anything else about her. She couldn't accept that…

Mac- Come on Dickie! This isn't L.A.

Dickie- no… ma'am this is Washington… What I'm trying to make you see is that getting divorce or people finding out you are separated it would be like giving Templeton the key of the Oval Office. You worked so hard to beat him in the polls… Do you what to throw that away and let Templeton win? Do you want your problem with Rod to be the reason he wins?

At that moment, Mac remembered something she told Nathan Templeton once: "Do you really want to make this where we draw our battle lines? Are you willing to die on _this_ hill?" Now, she could picture in her head Nathan saying those words to her…. And she frankly didn't want to die in this hill. She didn't want to lose here presidency over a separation and a divorce she didn't even want.

Mac- no… I don't…

Dickie- ok… so we have to make sure it won't leak somehow… who knows about this?

Mac- only you, Rod, my mom and the kids…

Dickie- ma'am President… this is very difficult to say, but… is there a third person involved in your separation?

Mac got serious. There was Jim… but she couldn't say that.

Mac- a third person?

Dickie- yes… Are you or your husband having an affair?

It was a sensitive topic for Mac. She got very defensive.

Mac- NO! God… no…

Dickie- I'm not judging, Ma'am President; I just need to know is there is someone else who knows about this… I need to know exactly what we are dealing with here…

Mac realized that if she wanted Dickie's help she wanted to be honest with him… 

Mac- there is a guy… but nothing happened with him except for a kiss that HE initiated without my permission…

Dickie got dreadfully serious…

Dickie- Was it in the White House? Please, ma'am president, tell me it wasn't in the Oval Office.

Mac- does it really matter?

Dickie- I just want to calculate the chances of someone taking a picture of that kiss without you noticing it… and the chances of a security camera filming it… or if a Security Agent saw it… you have like 12 bodyguards… and that's just inside the White House.

Mac shook her head… Mac- it happened in my gym… no cameras, no bodyguards… 

Dickie was relieved.

Dickie- good… it happened in your own personal space… otherwise people could say you don't respect your workplace…

He was about to continue talking, but suddenly he stopped… a realization hitting him… 

Dickie- Oh God! It was Jim!

Mac was amazed that he figured it out… 

Mac- How… how did you know?

Dickie- well… there are only two men, other than Rod, who are close enough to you as to be alone with you in the gym… those men and Jim and Vince… but Vince is gay, so…

Mac- you just connected the dots… what do we do now?

Dickie- we try our best to keep it a secret… but I'll came out with a B plan just in case something goes wrong and we end up facing a "bedroomgate"…

In a tone that said: "please, lets not do that" the president asked…

Mac- Do we have to call it that?

Dickie- We don't have to… but the reporters surely will if they find out… or maybe they would call it "Gymgate" or the "Jimgate"…

Mac stood up finding everything too overwhelming, Dickie stood up as well.

Mac- ok… I talked enough about this for a day… thank you Dickie…

Dickie- you are welcome ma'am President… I promise that no one else will know about this and there will be no scandal, you can trust me on this…

Saying that he left. He couldn't believe the problem that Jim got the President into. What was Jim thinking?… Right outside the Oval Office he saw him…

Jim- hello Dickie…

Dickie shook his head and simply said to him...

Dickie- You are a moron…

**To be continued…**

So… what do you think? Thanks for the wonderful reviews! I'm worried that I'm making Mac too weak and she might be a little out of character… but I figure that Mac must have her weakness and her sensitive side like any other person… after all… even Nathan Templeton is being sensitive this days (I love that Steven Broncho is making him more human).

By the way… I made up a British Prime Minister because I didn't want legal problems using a real person's name… and I don't know if I'll write about that State Dinner, I wrote that there would be a State Dinner just in case I want to write a scene in a party later on… but now I think I want to write about Mac's first birthday as a President… does anyone know for certain how old Mac is?

Well… thank you for reading this!

Lara


	5. I Love Charades

**Chapter 5: **

**I love charades.**

**White House. Residential part. **

It was almost dinnertime. For the first time in days Mackenzie Allen had made it in time to have dinner with her family. But before diner-time she had to talk to the twins about her situation with Rod… She decided to go to Becca's room first. Rebecca was listening to music at an incredibly loud volume and she was putting black painting in her nails. Mac turned the volume of the music down…

Becca- hey! I was listening to that… 

Mac- well… if you like listening to music so much then why do you insist in breaking your ears listening to it at this volume?

Becca rolled her eyes. She didn't expect her mother to understand her.

Becca- what do you want, mom?

Mac- look… I wanted to talk to you… but… Where is Horace? I need to talk to both of you…

Becca- in his room… studying with some classmate of him…

Mac- well… then I guess I'll have to talk to you alone first…

Becca was clearly not very happy about it. Very sarcastically, she said…

Becca- I'm so honored to talk to you Madame President 

Mac- hey! I might be the President but I'm your mother as well… you are MY daughter and no one can vote me out of that job, Not even YOU… so if I want to talk to you I expect, and deserve, a better attitude from you…

Becca- ok... but I already know that you and dad are having problems and I know I have to keep my mouth shut… I already agreed not to tell anyone and I'm actually glad no one will know how mess up our lives really are, so… that's it, is there anything else to talk about?

Mac was running out of patience, she took a sit close to Becca and talked seriously, expecting her daughter to pay attention to her.

Mac- Becca, I'm not here because I want you to "keep your mouth shut"… I just want to know how you feel… it must be hard for you to see that your father and I are in trouble…

Becca looked at her mother with a very angry expression.

Becca- who cares if is hard for me? Who cares about me?… You don't! So stop pretending… 

Mac was really hurt. Did Becca really believed that?

Mac- I do care about you…

Becca- You don't care about anyone! You always get your way even when it hurts other people…

Mac- Becca… that's not true…

Becca- is not? Hello! Do we live in the same house? Amy barely sees you, daddy lives half a week in New York and now he moved to guest room… not to mention my lack of a private and normal life… and it's all because YOU wanted to be President…

Mac was doing her best not to cry. She couldn't believe that her daughter still didn't understand how important her job was…

Mac- I know it's been difficult… but, Becca, I love my job and I'm very proud of it… I'm not going to apologize for being the President… and how dare you accusing ME of being selfish? You always make things even more difficult for me… and I'm trying to do my best…

Becca- no… what you are trying is to prove that a woman can do a man's job and raise a family at the same time…but that is an impossible thing to do for anyone.

Mac- you are seriously mistaken! I'm not trying is to prove that a woman can do a man's job, I'm trying to prove that it doesn't have to be a man's job… and it's not fair to blame all on me when your father, as you rightly pointed out, lives in New York half a week… I'm around more than him but you are only angry with me… Why?

Becca- Because you were the one who made dad leave to New York.

Mac- what? I wanted him to stay more than anything!

Becca- come on, mom! I know that he only left because you refused to give him an official position in your staff…

Mac shook her head. She was tired of feeling guilty because of that.

Mac- Becca… I know I chose not to give your father the job he wanted, but he could have stayed anyway… he didn't have to punish me for that by leaving to New York…

But Becca didn't want to hear her mother anymore.

Becca- whatever mom… you have what you wanted: you know how I feel… can you leave now?

Mac nodded, knowing it was pointless to continue talking to her. She knew that Becca would understand everything eventually…

Mac- ok… I'll see you later… I'll have dinner with everybody tonight…

Becca- Are you expecting a medal for that? Because I ran out of gold…

With a lot of pain inside her, and a lot of anger, she stood up and headed to leave. But before she left she turned around to say…

Mac- I'm sorry Becca, but... shouldn't you have revealed like this two years ago? Because NOW, honey, wearing black make up and locking your self up in your room with loud music is not going to get you anything… All you are doing is confuse the Secret Service. Oh! And the next time Amy has nightmares or any kind of worry because of something you said I'm gonna ground you for so long that there will be a new President by the time you leave this room…

Saying that, Mackenzie left the room feeling very angry and frustrated. She took a deep breath in the hallway to calm down. She couldn't believe how screwed up her relationship with Becca was. However, there was nothing Mac could do about that for the moment… so she decided to go to talk to Horace. Her son has always been more understanding and way more supportive with her than Becca. Mac went to Horace's room, but when she walked in the room she saw the most disturbing thing for her eyes: Horace was kissing some boy and they were both half naked. Mac was stunned.

Mac- oh my God!

The two young boys startled and stopped kissing.

Mac- if what you are doing if your assignment I'll have to talk very seriously with your teacher.

Horace- mom! Don't you know how to knock!

Mac kept staring at both of them in shock.

Mac- apparently I don't…

The boy started putting his clothes on as fast as he could, he was very embarrassed because the President of the United States saw him half naked and kissing her son. Horace was starting to get dress as well… very annoyed.

Horace- well… I consider very important that you start taking lessons about respecting other people's privacy…

Mac- and you should take lessons about honestly! When were you planning to tell me about your new "_special friend"_? I never saw him before…

The boy was now fully dressed and he extended his hand to Mac solemnly.

Tim- I'm Tim… it's an honor to meet you, ma'am President… 

After the first shock, Mac examined the boy for a few seconds. He was tall, like Horace, with light brown hair and deep green eyes. He was a very cute boy… and he seemed nice, but he was a boy and Mac had a hard time getting used to the idea that Horace was gay. However, she shook the boy's hand and then she said.

Mac- well… it's nice to meet you too, but it would have been nicer if my son had told me about you first…

Tim- You are right, Ma'am President… and I actually advised Horace to talk to you… I said to him: "Your mother would understand… you should be honest with her"… but he wouldn't listen to me… isn't that right, Horace?

Horace nodded even more astonished than he was before… 

Horace- he is right… I wouldn't listen to him.

Mac continued talking to Tim.

Mac- at least I know you now… I only wish I hadn't seen you putting your tongue in my son's throat… specially when you weren't wearing your t-shirt.

Tim- I'm sorry about that, ma'am… but I promise that the next time you see me I'll actually have all my clothes on.

Mac- yes… that will be the best.

Mac smiled a little bit. Then she and Tim noticed how incredibly uncomfortable Horace was.

Tim- Well… Horace, I think I should go now… you have to talk to your mother…

Horace nodded feeling a bit more at ease.

Horace- ok… I'll see you at school…

Tom- ok… bye…

He kissed Horace's cheek and shook Mac's hand one more time and then he left, leaving mother and son alone.

Mac- well… he seems nice… but I'm very disappointed because I had to find out this way… I wish you would have told me… don't you trust me at all?

Horace- I wanted to tell you… but I was concerned…

Mac- concerned? And does your concern have to do with the fact that the person you are dating is actually a boy?

Horace couldn't believe that her mother didn't think that fact was a big deal.

Horace- well… yes… I mean… I was afraid you would freak out… I didn't want you to be disappointed of me… I thought you wouldn't accept what I am…

Mac- Horace! You are my baby boy… I'll always love you no matter what, and if you are happy, I'm happy… you know I'm support a person's right to choose their sexual orientation… I won't make an exception with you…

Horace- are you really cool with this?

Mac nodded, she took a sit in Horace's chair and he took a sit in his bed.

Mac- sure it's hard getting use to the idea… I mean… in my head I always pictured you marring a woman… but if you are happy with Tim, or any other guy, I'll just change the picture in my head… I only want you to find love and be happy…

Horace- Thank you, mom. It really means a lot to me…

Mac looked at his son with curiosity… and trying to use a casual tone of voice she said… 

Mac- so… tell me… How long have you been dating Tim? Do you love him?

Horace blushed a little and looked down uncomfortable, then Mac said very exited.

Mac- you do love him!

Horace nodded smiling shyly… he had to admit the obvious.

Horace- yes… but I feel kind of silly because I have only dated him for a month… how can I be in love already?

Mac smiled… at least someone in her family was happy.

Mac- sometimes it happens… some people fall in love fast and for some people it takes longer.

Horace- it only took me like a week to me.

Mac got very serious all the sudden.

Mac- look honey… I support you… but I need you to promise me that you will always be careful when you and Tim… you know…

Horace- yes… don't worry… I had the talk about condoms and AIDS with dad last year… of course in that moment he thought I would use condoms with girls…

Mac- and when will you tell him that you…

Horace finished the sentences for his mother…

Horace- That I "changed teams"?

Mac- exactly…

Horace got a bit nervous.

Horace- look, mom... I'm not ready for him to know it yet… it's too soon…

Mac- I understand… but…

Horace interrupted her, looking at his mother with begging eyes.

Horace- actually, I don't want anyone to know yet… I'm not ready to come out… I'm being extremely careful to keep it a secret… specially since I don't want the press to know.

Mac- oh… honey… you don't have to do that for me…

Horace- I know… but I'm doing it too me… I don't want my life to be open for a public debate...

Mac- ok… I respect that… some things just work better if you left them unsaid…

Horace decided to switch the subject to talk about something else that worried him and wanted to discuss with his mother.

Horace- wow… it looks that the White House is keeping a lot of big secrets these days…

Mac knew he was talking about Rod sleeping in the guest room… and he was using a very judgmental tome of voice.

Mac- hey! He who is in the closet shouldn't throw the first stone!

Horace- seriously, mom, what's up with you and dad?

Mac- we are separated for a while…

Horace- well… I kind of figured that out when he moved his stuff to the guest room… what I don't understand is why…

Mac- it's complicated, honey… things have been difficult with him being away so much and me being the President and all… and everything kind of exploded recently…

Mac didn't added the part about Jim… Horace nodded but something still confused him. 

Horace- but why are you trying to cover it? That isn't you, mom… you hate charades…

Mac- but I have to covert it Horace… otherwise everything I worked for would be ruined… everybody would be like "Forget the nuclear war she prevented… her husband is not sleeping with her!… Stop the presses!"

Horace and Mac laughed for a few seconds picturing the reporters going crazy over the separation.

Horace- ok… I understand…

Mac- and by the way… I don't want you to scare Amy saying that dad and me are getting divorce…

Horace nodded humidly…

Horace- sorry… Becca and I shouldn't have talk about that in front of Amy… it's just that we are very scared our selves… we don't want you and daddy to get divorce…

Mac saw that her son was really worried about his parents and decided to confess him something.

Mac- can I tell you a secret, kid?

Horace- ok…

Mac- the only reason I agreed to pull this ridiculous charade with your father is that I think that our separation is temporary…

Horace- really?

Mac- yes… I still love your father and I want to fix whatever is wrong so he and I can get back together, and there is no point in letting everybody know about a separation that is only temporary.

Horace was really relieved.

Horace- I hope you are right and you two can fix your problems… Mac hugged her son very tight. Mac- you are a great boy, Horace. 

He looked at his mother full with curiosity.

Horace- by the way, you never told me how long it took you…

Mac- How long it took me what?

Horace- to fall in love with daddy… Without thinking it twice Mac smiled and answered… 

Mac- that only took me a New York minute!

Horace was confused…

Horace- a New York minute?

Mac- yes… literally… it happened the day I met him… I was on vacations in New York and a friend of mine and I decided to go to the M.E.T.… we were looking at the paintings and suddenly we noticed a very arrogant boy who was looking at the paintings too…

Horace- was it dad?

Mac continued with her story without answering…

Mac- this boy was very arrogant and competitive and he was criticizing the paintings because he wanted to impress everybody talking about the Art he had seen in Europe…

Horace started laughing… 

Horace- it was dad!

Mac- yes… for half an hour I overhead him pretending to know about art and I was pretending that I wasn't impressed at all… of course, at the minute he made a mistake I corrected him and we started and argument that lasted like an hour… then we realized that we went to the same college and became friends…

Horace- and how long were you friends before dating?

Mac- like six months… we were both taken when we met…

Horace- really?

Mac- yeah… he had a girlfriend and I was dating Mike Stanton… but your father had me since the first moment I saw him anyway… when I saw him in that museum bragging in front of his friends and acting like a fool he had me… I know it sounds strange…

Horace- it wouldn't be real love if it didn't have something strange…

Mac realized that she was about to cry, so she stood up trying to put her self together and said… 

Mac- well… I'll see you at dinner, honey…

Horace realized that she was leaving because she was sad and because she wasn't really comfortable getting so emotional and admitting that she still loved Rod. She preferred pulling the "unbreakable woman" charade, the only charade she actually loved.

Rod- mom… don't worry, your secret is safe with me.

Mac smiled at her son… understanding that he wasn't only talking about the separation.

Mac- right back at ya!

She winked her eye at him and left the room.

To be continued… 

Well... I hope you are all enjoying this story! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews you sent me so far! They made my day!

And by the way… I decided that I'll make Mac be 45 going on 46….

Keep reading and reviewing!

Love…

Lara


	6. The way we were

**Chapter six:**

The way we were 

**a week later… **

**The residential part of the White House. Early in the morning. **

Mackenzie entered in the kitchen where Rod, Kate and Amy were having breakfast… it was the first time Mac actually saw Rod in a week. When he wasn't in New York, he spent his time with the kids or in the Guest room… He avoided Mackenzie as much as he could. It was clear that when he said: "we are done" he meant it…

Mac- good morning, everybody…

Amy- morning mom…

She kissed Amy and Kate in the cheek, and then she shared a very awkward look with Rod.

Mac- hi Rod…

Rod- hi…

Rod stared at his plate uncomfortable; Mac took a sit and started eating her breakfast wishing that someone had managed to poison it somehow. Kate desperately tried to break the silence.

Kate- Did you sleep well, honey?

Mac- yes… I did…

Actually, she didn't. She hadn't slept well in months but she couldn't say that to her mother. Then Horace and Becca entered in the kitchen. They were arguing.

Becca- I do have a terrible stomachache… 

Horace- liar! You are a big fat liar…

Becca- are you calling me fat?

They took they sits at the table. Mac looked at Becca worriedly.

Mac- are you feeling sick?

Becca was about to say "Yes" with a fake sad expression meant to win her parent's sympathy, but Horace interrupted her.

Horace- no! She is fine… she just doesn't want to go to school…

Mac- is that true Becca?

Becca- no… I'm really sick…

But she was a terrible liar, plus, her parents were too smart to fall for that.

Rod- very mature, Becca!

Mac- aren't you to old to do that?

Becca decided to throw the act, she rolled her eyes and started eating a muffing.

Rod- why don't you want to go to school?

Becca- because I hate school…

Amy- school is boring! I hate it too…

Becca- see? I'm not alone in this… Amy aggress with me…

Mac- Amy is seven….

Becca rolled her eyes….

Becca- I just don't wanna go… can I just not go for one day?

Mac- no…

Rod had always had a better relationship with Becca, so he simply asked.

Rod- What's wrong Becca? You have always hated school… but, somehow, you managed to go everyday…

Becca didn't say anything… but Horace explained to his father.

Horace- she likes her new lab partner, but he has a girlfriend… and today she has chemistry, witch means that she has to sit next to him… and that makes her uncomfortable.

Karen remembered Becca's lab partner coming to the White House once…

Karen- oh! Is that guy, Jess, who came once to study?

Becca nodded, and then Karen nodded understanding everything. Mac and Rod were paying a lot of attention to this chat… it was the first time they heard about that Jess guy.

Kate- you really have a cute lab partner… 

Horace- no grandma, you don't get it… see… she wants him, but she can't HAVE him… because he has a girlfriend.

Becca punched Horace in the arm… 

Becca- shut up!

Horace- hey! Don't punch me! It's not my fault that your crush is taken…

Rod- well, Becca… you should know that I was happily involved in a very serious relationship when your mother decided she wanted me all for her self...

Mac rolled her eyes… 

Mac- oh Rod… that big ego of yours… I swear…

Rod- it's the truth! I was engaged with Christina Macalister.

Mac continued her denial with a "Get out of here!" tone of voice… while the other heard everything amazed… They had never heard the story before.

Mac- you weren't really engaged with that stupid little mouse…

Rod- that "little mouse" and I had set a wedding date… invitations had been send… 

Mac was forced to admit that Rod was right.

Mac- well… but I couldn't let you marry Chris Macalister anyway… that woman needed directions and a flashlight just to get to a point…

Rod smiled widely… It was nice to see Mackenzie jealous of Christina again, it remind him the old times… memories of one of the happiest days in his life flashed in his head…

**22 years ago… Yale University. Rod's room. **

Rod Calloway was in his bedroom, studying for a big test. He wasn't alone… he was studying with another girl from his class, Mackenzie Allen. Rod and Mac had met in New York six months ago and became very good friends when they realized that they were both in the same college. They were both 23 years old, they were both very into politics, and even when they argued about it very often they loved having those arguments and exchanging different ideas. The fact that Mackenzie was really beautiful didn't go unnoticed to Rod… but he was engaged and he was sure that he loved his fiancé. He had convinced him self that Mac and him were only good friends.

Mac- Come on Rod! I think we are done studying for today… we've been reading those books for six hours… Rod- but I'm worried… I this is a really important test… 

Mac- you shouldn't be worried! We studied more than any human been can possibly study… we know absolutely everything we need to know… we are more than ready for this test…

Rod looked at Mac amazed… She was always full with an incredible self-confidence.

Rod- how can you be so sure?

Mac- because I am… plus, we have weeks before the test… now let me open the beers and the chips I brought so we can take a break…

Rod putted away the books and let Mac bring some chips and two cans of beer… 

Rod- if I fail the test you will suffer the consequences…

Mac- you won't fail… even if the test were tomorrow, we both would get an A+…

Rod laughed and shook his head in disbelieve… 

Rod- you are gonna get an F in "modesty"…

Mac- if I get and f in "modesty" then you get a Z

Rod- Z is not a grade…

Mac- yes it is… is the grade you get in modesty…

Rod laughed harder and Mackenzie punched playfully his shoulder.

Rod- you really are something… aren't you?

They looked at each other's eyes for a few seconds and smiled. Mac got suddenly serious… 

Mac- Rod… can I ask you something?

Rod- yes, sure…

Mac- How came you came you are studying with me?… Where is "Miss. Personality"?

Rod gave her a warning look… Rod- you know her real name… 

Mac rolled her eyes.

Mac- sorry… Where is Christina? Why aren't you studying with her?

Rod- she is visiting her parents… she had some wedding stuff to take care off…

Mac suddenly regretted bringing up Rod's fiancé. She tried to cover her disappointment over Rod's wedding with another woman… Mac- of course… the wedding it's only in two months and it takes a lot of planning… 

Rod nodded, organizing the wedding had been a nightmare. And suddenly he wasn't so exited about marring Christina like he had been at first… He thought it was the usual fear of commitment.

Rod- Did you get your invitation, by the way?

Mac was surprised… she hadn't gotten the invitation and she assumed she wasn't invited.

Mac- no… I didn't… am I invited?

Rod- of course… I know we have only been friends for a few months… but you are my friend and I would like to have all my friend there…

Mac looked down a little embarrassed. If she was his friend, she was very crappy one… because se was secretly I love with him and she couldn't see him being happy with another woman.

Mac- I'm sorry… but I'm not gonna go… I can't…

Rod- but why?

Mac- I have stuff to do…. in my hometown…. So…

She was obviously lying… and she was doing it terribly. Rod could totally tell something was wrong.

Rod- Come on, Mac! Tell me the truth…

Mac- I can't go to your wedding…. That's the truth… I really can't go…

Rod- and why is that?

Mac- just because! Stop asking me or I'll go to my room…

Rod was beginning to suspect the reason…

Rod- please… just tell me… 

Mac- I mean it Rod… I just can't go… don't ask me the reason..

Rod- please tell me… I want to know if what I think is the reason you are not going to my wedding is really the reason you are not going to my wedding…

She really didn't want to tell him… especially when she thought it was very obvious. She hated that Rod was forcing her to say the words out loud. Mac stood up really angry and took her purse.

Mac- I warned you, Rod… She walked quickly towards the door, but Rod stopped her taking firmly her arm… Rod- just tell me why you can't go to my wedding and I'll let you go… 

Mac- you know it, Rod... deep down you know it… so let me go…

Mac tried to reach the door but Rod stood in front of it before she could open it.

Rod- I want to hear it from you… I want YOU to say it… 

Rod had his body against the door while Mac was trying in vain to open it.

Mac- let me open the door!

Rod- Why can't you come to my wedding?

Mac was very frustrated… she had ran out of patience and yelled:

Mac- Because I love you, you idiot!

Rod was stunned, he thought Mac simply liked him, or had a crush on him… he never expected Mackenzie Allen to be in love with him… Mac was in the edges of tears.

Mac- can I go now?

Rod- no…

Saying nothing else, Rod kissed her very softly in the lips. The kiss became more passionate with each second… and it felt really good. It was exactly what they both wanted.

Rod- I love you too, Mac… Back to the present… Inside the residence's kitchen. 

The kids were astonished…

Horace- you said to me that dad had a girlfriend when you met him… you never said you broke an engagement two months before the wedding!

Becca- Mom, You stole dad from another woman!

Mac protested, feeling offended by the way the kids saw the whole thing… Mac- I didn't steel your father… I simply gave him a choice… 

Rod smiled remembering something else…

Rod- well, Mac… I really had no choice since the day you showed up in my fraternity party wearing that red "Oscar de la Renta" dress…

Mac smiled amazed at Rod… 

Mac- I can't believe you remember the dress…

Horace- I can't believe you were "the other woman"!

Mac slapped playfully her son's hand… 

Mac- Stop that!

Rod- there is a lesson to learn in all this Becca…

Becca- yes… don't let Mackenzie Allen be anywhere near your fiancé…

Mac rolled her eyes while the others laughed… and then she corrected her daughter.

Mac- no! The lesson is that when two people are really meant to be together nothing can get in their way… So… if you are truly destined to be with that guy it will happen, even if now he has a girlfriend.

After that, Mac and Rod made eye contact and smiled at each other. Mac was thrilled. For a moment it was like if they were together again… they felt close and in love again.

She had not idea that the same past that now seemed to get them closer, was about to come back and became another threat for the marriage she was desperately trying to save.

**To be continued… **

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! thanks again to all of your for reading this, and special Thanks to those who reviewed the previews chapter! You made my day!


	7. a dinner, nothing more

**Chapter 7: **

**A dinner, nothing more… **

**Very late at night… same day. Inside the residence. **

Mac came back to the residence very late after working all day. Everybody was already in bed, so she went to the kitchen and started having dinner alone. She couldn't stop thinking about that morning… the conversation that took place during breakfast and the looks she and Rod had shared. What did they mean? They seemed to be re-connecting. Maybe, just maybe, there was still hope for their marriage. Maybe all what they needed was time to work things out. After a quick dinner she headed to her bedroom passing by the Guest-room that had its door opened. She noticed that Rod was in there packing his things.

Mac- so… you have to go back to New York?

Rod- yes, I'm leaving now so I can be there in the morning…

Mac- oh… and do you HAVE to leave right now or maybe you can stay a bit longer?

Rod looked at Mac with curiosity. He had not idea what Mac was feeling and he had not idea why all the sudden she wanted him there. He was convinced that Mac didn't love him anymore and that she didn't need him at all. He thought that Mac didn't care about him and he thought that was the reason why she let him go to New York in the first place and then kissed Jim. He was about to reply something but suddenly the phone rang. Since Rod was closer to the phone he picked it up.

Rod- Hello…. (He nodded understanding) ok… yes, here she is…

Rod gave Mac the phone saying… 

Rod- It's _"The First Mistress"_

Mac gave Rod an angry look for calling Jim that and then took the phone.

Mac- hi Jim… is something wrong? (as she was listening to him her face got darker) ok… but don't do anything yet… I'm on my way…

She couldn't remember how many times she had said that since she became President. She gave Rod an apologetic look…

Mac- I have to go to the sit room… one of our military planes was shot down… 

Rod got very concerned.

Rod- but… Where?… Who?

Mac gave him a look that meant: "You know I can't tell you" and he simply said…

Rod- ok… whatever…

Mac- Rod… I have to go… please… just stay until I get back so we can talk…

Rod shook his head and looked at her very hurt and disappointed.

Rod- for what?

Rod thought that there was no point in talking things over… He really wanted to fix what was wrong with their relationship, but that seemed impossible.

**Four days later… Inside the Oval office. **

Mackenzie was in the Oval Office talking to Vince Taylor who was giving her and update of the last events in the Household.

Vince- the kids are back from the school and the First Gentleman just arrived from New York…

Mac was about to throw away the charade and say to Vince that the First Gentleman could go to hell… Rod had left to New York three days ago without even talking to her and he didn't even call her. But before she could say anything her mother entered in the Oval Office.

Kate- hello honey… hi Vince

Vince- hi Mrs. Allen.

Mac- hi mom… what's brings you here?

Kate- I just wanted to see you to ask you one little thing…

Mac- if it's related to my birthday no, you can't…

Mackenzie's 46th birthday would be next week and Kate had been doing a lot of effort to organize a big birthday party to celebrate Mac's first birthday as a President. Of course, Kate had been organizing everything very carefully with Nora Woodfuff's (The White House Social director and the First spouse's aide) help. But Mac wasn't so thrilled about her birthday this year…

Kate- please honey… I just need to know if you already chose a dress… because it has to match the color of the balloons…

Mac didn't really know how to react to that… She looked at Vince and Kate confused. 

Mac- is that a joke?

Kate- no… did you choose a dress?

Mac- no… I kind of have more important thing to do in here…

Kate- sorry… but I'm not asking much… I showed you like 5 dressed yesterday… Which one do you prefer?

Mac thought quickly… she didn't care, but her mother did… so she just said… 

Mac- the "Dolce & Gabanna" one… the one you showed me first… It's long and dark red…

Karen- Ok… the red one it is! Thank you…

Karen left and Mac looked like she was about to be thrown to a pool full of sharks and couldn't stop it. Vince simply looked at her not knowing what to do…

Vince- she just wants your birthday party to be perfect…

Mac- I know… it's just, I'm not really in a mood for a big party… actually I never liked having a huge birthday party… I prefer a simpler small celebration…

Then her son Horace entered shyly…

Horace- hi… sorry to interrupt… I just need you to sign this, mom…

It was his report card from the School… Mac looked at it very impressed, he was doing so much better at school and Mac gladly signed it.

Mac- congratulations Horace… I'm so glad you are doing better… 

Horace- thanks…

He started to leave, but then Mac asked in a worried tone….

Mac- Horace… is this party your grandma's planning going to be a big deal?

Horace looked at his mother amazed. Obviously she was totally clueless about how huge it was going to be. So, he decided to tease her a little…

Horace- Not really… congress will close that day and flags will fly at half-mast. Whitney Houston will come and sing: "Hail to the Chief", and Barbra Streisand will give her final concert... again. Now, the Pope has previous plans, but he's trying to get out of them. However, the Queen and Prince of England are coming and they're bringing the chips.

Mac laughed at the joke and shook her head.

Mac- I asked one simple question… anyway… 

She was interrupted by Kelly who entered with very worried expression in her face.

Kelly- ma'am President… something happened after I talked to the press this morning… I need to speak with you alone…

Mac- ok. Vince, Horace… Could you please…?

She didn't need to say more. Vince and Horace nodded and left the Oval Office. Kelly took a sit in front of the President who was sitting in her chair, behind her desk.

Mac- Tell me Kelly… what's wrong?

Kelly was incredibly nervous… 

Kelly- I don't know if you knew anything about this, ma'am… but… after my morning conference a reporter confronted me and gave me this…

Kelly handed the President a picture she had in a folder. Mac looked at the picture carefully. It was a picture of Rod with another woman in very expensive and romantic New York restaurant. Showing no emotion, she asked…

Mac- When is this going to be published?

Kelly- tomorrow morning… ma'am… Did you know about this dinner?

Mac- no… I had no idea…

Mac looked at the picture again, astonished and heartbroken. Kelly noticed then how hurt Mac was so she tried to say something to comfort her…

Kelly- they can't prove that anything happened… all they saw was a dinner, nothing more. If anything else had happened between Rod and that woman you would have found out by now… just like you found out about the dinner…

Mac kept staring at the picture. Suddenly recognizing the woman in it… it was Cristina Macalister. She was the one having dinner with Rod. And even when the picture alone showed nothing but a dinner, Mac knew that there was so much more behind it… Kelly started to feel very concerned because Mac kept staring to the picture and nor saying a word…

Kelly- Ma'am President? Are you ok? Honestly, it looks like it was just dinner…

Without answering, Mac stood up and headed to the door of the Oval Office, she opened it and, faking a calm tone, she said to the Security agent who was guarding the office… Mac- please… Could you tell the First Gentleman to come here as soon as he cans? 

Then she shook her head astonished, wondering why the hell did she still bothered in pretend that everything was ok… then she added…

Mac- Screw "as soon as he cans"! You tell my husband to get his ass down here right now!

The Security Agent was stunned… but he didn't show it. He simply went to do what the President told him to do. A few minutes later, Rod entered in the Oval Office felling a bit scared. He knew exactly why Mac wanted to see him and he knew he had a lot to explain. As he entered, he saw her. She was standing with her arms crossed and looking at the view through the window, clearly lost in her own thoughts. As soon as she noticed Rod's presence she looked at him with the coldest expression Rod had ever seen in her. She simply said…

Mac- What is wrong with you, Rod?

She was actually asking him. It wasn't a rhetorical question. She couldn't understand what on earth possessed Rod to do what he did… very weakly Rod said…

Rod- it was one dinner with a friend… nothing more… 

That was the truth… It had been just a dinner. But that dinner had taken place in a public restaurant, where everybody could see them. Rod realized now that, subconsciously, he had done that on purpose… to hurt Mackenzie like she had hurt him. And now he felt like a complete jerk for doing that.

Mackenzie- Nothing more! Am I supposed to believe that?

Rod- it's the truth, I swear… you saw the pictures! What they show it's the only thing that happened…

"_What you saw is the only thing that has ever happened with Jim…"_ Mackenzie remembered saying those words when Rod saw her kissing Jim and suddenly this situation started feeling very familiar. And then it hit her. Rod was getting revenge. He was still punishing for the kiss… for not giving him the job he wanted and making him feel like he wasn't important for her… She shook her head in disbelief.

Mac- You are unbelievable!

Mac was about to cry… but, of course, she refused to give Rod that satisfaction. She just turned around facing the window again and praying that she could hold the tears until Rod couldn't see them. Rod approached her and put his hand in her shoulder.

Rod- I'm really sorry, Mac… 

Too little, too late. Mac angrily pushed Rod's hand away from her shoulder.

Mac- Go away!

Rod looked at her very sad with begging eyes…

Rod- but Mac…

She made her self stronger somehow and repeated what she had already said.

Mac- please, go away! I don't want to hear you anymore… I'm so sick of this… it's getting ridiculous! Seriously Rod… How long is this going to continue? I Don't give you a job so you leave to New York… you leave to New York so I kiss Jim, I kiss Jim so you have dinner with Cristina… How long will we continue hurting each other like that? Since when our marriage became this stupid contest of who gets to do more damage?

When Mackenzie putted it like that, Rod felt like the biggest idiot in the entire universe. He suddenly found himself hating everything he had done in the last months. He should have never gone to New York. That was what ruined everything and he had only done that because of his big stupid ego.

Rod- I'm so sorry… please, Mac... you have to forgive me… you HAVE to forgive me…

He became closer and closer to her. His lips were now very close to her and he was about to kiss her. But suddenly she shook her head and pushed him away.

Mac- no, Rod… I can't… you can't just kiss me and make everything go away… please… leave me alone now… 

And this time Rod didn't objected. As soon and he left the Oval Office and closed the door, Mac collapsed in her chair and cried her eyes out feeling incredibly stupid for doing so. It wasn't only that Rod had dinner with Cristina and, on purpose, made it public. There was also the fact that Mackenzie didn't believe that it had been just a dinner… there was something else Rod wasn't telling her. She could sense that her husband was hiding something. It didn't matter how… Mackenzie Allen was determinate to found out what.

To be continued… 

What is Rod hiding? (If he is)… Will Mac discover something that will make matters even worse? Or will her discovery save the day? If you wanna know all this continue reading and reviewing this story… and don't forget that Mac's birthday is coming up!

By the way… thanks for the good reviews I got.

The red "Oscar de la Renta" dress is not a reference to Geena's dress. Actually, I have not idea who designed the gorgeous red dress Geena wore for the Golden Gloves… (I so loved it). I just liked the idea of Mac using a short red dress to seduce Rod… and I just figured she uses the top designers.

Anyway… I hope you continue enjoying this! We are not so far from the end now…. Please… send more reviews…

Lara


	8. The box with memories and surprises

**Author's note: I'm sorry it took me longer than usual to update… and I'm sorry if this chapters bores you a little bit. This chapter is more like filler… it's mostly memories about Rod and Mac's past… at the end Mac discovers the secret, but some of you might feel disappointed about it… anyway… hope you enjoy this chapter anyway! **

**Chapter 8: **

**The box with memories and surprises. **

**Residential part of the White House. A day later. Very late that night. **

It was very late at night. Horace was having problems to get sleep so he got up to have some warm milk. He was surprised when he walked by the Guest Room in which his father was supposed to be sleeping and he saw that the lights were on. He wondered why his father was still up, so, after knocking shyly, he entered in the room. Mackenzie was there, completely alone, and she was looking inside Rod's closet… apparently looking for something. She startled when she heard Horace entering in the room.

Mac- oh God…

Horace- mom? What are you doing here? And where is dad?

Mac- in a plane… or maybe he already landed in New York… I'm not sure… what time is it?

Horace- is two AM… What are you doing in this room and why did dad leave to New York so soon? He had just came back...

Mac- we had an argument…

Horace nodded understandably. He had seen the newspapers.

Horace- is it because he had dinner with his ex fiancé?

Mac- and because he didn't even tell me… Kelly did…

Horace- but mom… that doesn't explain what are you doing here in the middle of the night.

Mac felt suddenly very silly. How was she going to explain what she was doing? She decided to go with the simple truth.

Mac- well… I was looking into your father's stuff because I was looking for… 

Horace- evidence of his infidelity…

Mac couldn't help to laugh nervously… Mac- yes… well, actually I was hoping to find evidence of the contrary… 

Horace didn't know what to think or what to do… His mother wasn't the kind of woman who would do such a thing. It became more obvious to Horace that Mackenzie wasn't acting like her self lately… she had been weird (to say the less) ever since the separation. However, he didn't think it was such a bad idea to search in Rod's stuff to make sure that he wasn't cheating. Mac noticed that Horace was looking at her thoughtfully…

Mac- I know! You are thinking that I'm becoming an embarrassment to women and that my weakness and vulnerability when it comes to your father it's not Presidential at all…

He was actually thinking that if Rod could see that weakness and vulnerability they wouldn't be having any problem. He shook his head and said…

Horace- no… I was thinking that if I help you we'd finish with this sooner…

Mac smiled weakly, thanking God for Horace's support. They both searched into Rod's stuff not finding anything that Mac hadn't seen before. It looked like Rod had no secrets, until Horace found a shoebox that didn't contained precisely shoes. Horace opened it and saw some old papers, a movie ticket, a very old rock, a napkin with Yale's logo in it, an official White House pen with the Presidential Seal on it, and a picture of a bunch of young people in a party, Mac was in that picture wearing a short red dress. Horace was very interested seeing all those objects… Mackenzie noticed his interest and wondered what was he looking at.

Mac- Tell me… what did you find?

Horace handed Mac the box and she almost cried when she saw it.

Mac- oh God… this is your father's "Yale box"…

Horace- he has a "Yale box"?

Mac- yes… here he keeps everything that reminds him of our happy years in college…

Mac picked up the picture and looked at it… then showed to Horace.

Mac- in this picture I'm wearing the red "Oscar de la Renta" dress he liked so much… and that your father is that one on the left… 

Horace looked stunned at the picture and then at his mother.

Horace- THAT one is dad!

Mac- yes…. why are you so shocked?

Horace- well… he was wearing the only clothes in the word that would make Stanford from "Sex and the City" say: "Wait a minute! Nobody is THAT gay!"

Mac laughed at the joke. Then he noticed the Movie ticked in the box and handed it to Horace, feeling very exited about sharing all those memories with her son…

Mac- look! This is a movie ticket from my first official date with your father…

Horace read the movie ticket and then looked at his mother surprised.

Horace- "GHOST"? Seriously, Mom?

Mac- what! You think your father and I don't enjoy some corny romance from time to time?

Horace- I know dad does… but you are the woman who yelled "Finally!" at the of "Titanic"…

Mac rolled her eyes and defended her self… 

Mac- I'm sorry… it's just… THREE hours of "You jump, I jump" and at the end she wouldn't even share a piece of wood with him so he wouldn't freeze to dead! Come on! That was just insulting.

Horace had already heard that like 20 times… so he simply ignored it and continued looking at the objects in the box. He found a small piece of paper with a number on it and he showed it to Mac.

Horace- what's this?

Mac took it and then stared at it in disbelief.

Mac- wow… this is my phone number…

Horace- what?

Mac- yes… when our father and I had just became friends I wrote my phone number in this little piece of paper and gave it to him… this is the first thing I've ever wrote to him… I can't believe he kept it all this years…

Horace smiled… sometimes his father could be so sweet.

Horace- of course he kept it…

Mac- this number is from like ten places ago, I think if you call now they tell you the weather report.

Horace picked up something else from the box… a couple school reports from Yale, he looked at then amazed and shaking his head he said…

Horace- Oh sweet lord! This is impossible!

Mac- What's impossible?

Horace- the grades you and dad got in college! You two are not human… nobody gets this many "A's in Yale…

Mac- we did… and so will you if you apply your self… by the way, are you studying for your LSAT?

Horace rolled his eyes… he was in Senior Year, and in his school people seemed not to have another topic of conversation than the LSAT test and college applications. Even his boyfriend Tim, who was freaking out because he was desperate for getting into Harvard, and Horace felt a little left out because he was the only one he knew (except for Becca) who wasn't concerned about getting into college. He could get in any America college he wanted just by using his name.

Horace- yes… but what's the point?

Mac looked at him worried, forgetting her search for a few seconds.

Mac- Horace! I know what you are thinking, but you have to do good in your LSAT… Horace have her a "Come on!" look… 

Horace- Wanna bet the Air Force One that no University will reject me?

Mac looked at her son seriously… 

Mac- that doesn't matter… you still have to work very hard, harder than anyone else, so you can prove to everybody, AND to your self, that you actually DESERVE getting into a good college… you have to became worthy of any advantages you may have.

Horace knew his mother was right. Deep down he had known it all the time. He nodded, feeling so glad that he could talk to his mother about everything and that she was so understanding.

Horace- yeah… you are totally right…

Mac- by the way… where would you…?

Horace knew what was next… so he answered cutting his mother off.

Horace- Tim wants to go to Harvard, if he gets in I'd like to go with him…

Mac- oh, that's ok…

Horace- I know… it's kind of silly choosing the University where I'll be studying for the next four years because of my boyfriend…

Mac- I don't think is silly… it's just…

Mac looked sadly at Rod's "Yale box" and now Horace felt guilty.

Horace- oh mom, are you mad because I'm not going to Yale?…

Mac- no… I'm not mad; I want you to be happy… I really do…

Horace- do you think dad is going to be too upset? Going to Yale it's a big tradition in his family…

Mac shook her head.

Mac- maybe he will feel disappointed at first… but then he will be complete ok with your life choices, with ALL of them…

Horace smiled weakly. Knowing exactly what his mother was talking about and realizing that he will have to tell his father about Tim very soon.

Horace- mom, I'm sorry that I put you in his position… I will hate it if he got mad at you because you know everything and didn't tell him…

Horace felt clearly very guilty. He didn't want to cause more problems between his parents.

Mac- don't worry about it… I'll handle your dad whenever you decide to tell him…

Horace was now a bit uncomfortable talking about him "coming out of the closet". So he looked into the box again, looking desperate for something that might help to change the subject of conversation. He found a plastic bag with some letter tiles that were obviously from a Scrabble game. He showed then to Mac… Who looked at the letter tiles feeling really touched…

Horace- what? What is it?

Mac- this letters tiles are from a very special Scrabble game…

**21 years ago. Yale University.**

_Rod and Mac were 24 years old and had been dating for almost a year. Both of them were in their last year of college and even when they were incredibly busy, they managed to have fun together doing all kind of things… at that moment they were just playing Scrabble. It was Mac's turn. She looked at the letter tiles she had in her rack and at the words that had already been formed in the board… She was completely lost… she had not idea what word to form and Rod was winning by just 10 points. Suddenly, inspiration hit her. She noticed the word "Goat" in the boarder and looked at the letter tiles in her rack… she took the letters I, L, S and T and combined them with the G of "Goat" to form the word GLIST. Rod was shocked and a bit annoyed… _

_Rod- you can't make up words! _

_Mac- I'm not making up anything! _

_Rod gave her a "Come on!" look… _

_Rod- please! Are you expecting me to believe that GLIST is a real word? _

_Mac- yes… because it is… _

_Rod shook his head in disbelief._

_Rod- use that word in a sentence… _

_Mac thought for a few seconds… she just wanted to win so badly, but so did Rod. _

_Mac- all right… here it goes: "Today I won a scrabble game by using the word glist" _

_Rod- you are such a competitive freak…_

_Mac- well… you are such a "glist".. _

_Rod- that's not even a word! _

_Mac- yes it is… _

_Rod rolled his eyes. Every time he argued with Mackenzie it was the same thing… they both were so stubborn and they both wanted to be right. It could be such a pain some times… but he wouldn't have it any other way. _

_Rod- you know what? I don't care that you always cheat or lie to win a game; it's just that you are so bad at it. _

_Mac faked being completely offended… _

_Mac- I never lied to win a game! Name one time I did that… _

_Rod- Other than right now? Well… let's see… the other day, we were also playing Scrabble and when I challenged a word you said you didn't have a dictionary… _

_Mac- I don't have a dictionary! _

_Rod- I saw one in your bookcase… _

_Mac- well… I admit that what you saw might look like a dictionary for the untrained eye…_

_Now Rod was really pissed of. Did Mac think he was stupid? _

_Rod- it was a dictionary, you crazy woman! You think I don't recognize an Oxford English Dictionary when I see one! _

_Mac knew when she had lost… she was just too proud to admit it. _

_Mac- ok…. I'll go to get that dictionary and I'll prove to you that "Glist" is a real word… but you will feel really stupid when I prove you wrong… _

_Rod- frankly, my darling, I don't give a "glist"… _

_Mac stood up very angry and went to get a dictionary. The truth was that she had totally made that word up, but she was hoping that, by a miracle, it would appear in the dictionary anyway. Maybe it was a word after all… she took the dictionary and then went back with Rod. Who was now a little nervous. Mac walked towards him saying… _

_Mac- well, Rod… Get ready to feel really… _

_Mac gasped when she saw game board and froze… instead of the words they had formed, the letter tiles were now combined forming the phase: WOULD YOU MARRY ME… Mac couldn't believe it. She was completely shocked… Rod seemed just as surprised, since he hadn't planned it at all… it had just came off in the moment. Rod stood up and walked towards Mac… they looked in the eyes and Mac said…. _

_Mac- YES! _

_Then she practically threw her self at Rod's arms and started kissing him passionately. He kissed her back feeling overjoyed... he was finally engaged to the woman that had "stolen" his heart a year ago and he couldn't feel happier. _

**Back to the present… **

Horace heard the story amazed and then Mackenzie simply putted the letter tiles back in the "Yale box" trying to act like she wasn't about to cry. When she was doing that, she noticed something very strange in the box, something she had never seen before. It was a very old envelope with a handwritten letter inside. Mac was really confused.

Mac- what the hell is this?

Obviously, Horace was even more confused than his mother.

Horace- it looks like a very old letter… What are you waiting for? Read it!

Mac went to look for her glasses and then she came back and starting reading the letter andout loud so Horace could hear what it said too.

Mac- this from Cristina Macalister to your father… 

Horace got exited, he sensed than his mother had bumped into something interesting…

Horace- oh… I bet is an old love letter… cool.. Mac gave him an angry look… 

Mac- you are not helping!

Horace- sorry, well… what are waiting for? Read it…

Mac- it starts saying: _"Dear Rod…"_

Horace- well… that's original!

Mac wasn't in a mood for Horace sarcasms, so she gave him an angry look again… 

Horace- still not helping?

Mac ignored Horace's comment and continued reading… 

Mac- _"Dear Rod: it's with a lot of pain in my heart that I'm writing you this letter today. Ever since you left me, a year and 4 months ago, I've been waiting for you to come around and realize what I big mistake you made. But now I realize that it's my duty, just because I still love you, to open your eyes and make you see what a terrible mistake you are making. I'm sure that Mackenzie Allen is the right girl for someone… but not for you. She won't be able to make you happy, she just won't be able to love like I do. Let me tell you, that I tried really hard to get over you, but I've failed miserably. I don't understand how could you fall in love with another woman when we were so happy. I'm convinced that you and me belong together and that you just got scare and confused because of the big step we were about to make. All I can do now is hope that this letter, somehow, brings you back to me before it's to late. I never saw my self as the kind of woman who would do this… but I can't stay in my room crying and doing nothing while you are, unwillingly and without noticing it, ruining both of our lives. I understand that my timing it's terrible since you are…"_

Mac gasped and covered her mouth with her hand… she couldn't say out loud what was next… 

Horace- what?

Mac continued feeling incredibly angry… 

Mac- _"Since you are getting married tomorrow" _TOMORROW! That bitch gave him this letter ONE day before MY wedding!

Horace couldn't believe that either… He just shook his head in disbelief…

Horace- she asked him to leave in the altar.

Mac corrected her son, feeling her rage growing inside her… 

Mac- she BEGGED him to leave me in the altar! She begged him to leave me in the altar one day before the wedding and he never told me… he just kept this letter for 20 years and now he is having dinner with her!

Horace- mom, this doesn't mean…

But Mac ignored him completely. She just kept talking… 

Mac- I don't believe this… here I am, looking at our memories like an idiot, and he thinks our marriage was a mistake!

Horace was now lost… that was no how he saw everything.

Horace- mom… dad doesn't think your marriage was a mistake… Cristina wrote that…

Mac- but your father secretly kept the letter… and now he is having dinner with that woman! That has to mean that he is having serious doubts about whether he made the right choice 20 years ago…

To Horace that didn't made sense at all… and e couldn't believe that his mother was acting so irrationally. It just wasn't her.

Mac- Well… fuck him! I had enough…

Mac threw the letter and she stormed out the guest room, leaving Horace very shocked and extremely concerned about his mother.

**To be continued… **

**Thanks so much for the reviews I received and, PLEASE, send me some more! (I'm making begging eyes now) I really enjoy receiving them! **

**My first language is Spanish (I'm from Argentina) and I know I should have a beta but I don't thing I would feel comfortable with that… **

**By the way… I know Mac's birthday party is due shortly… but I just came out with a couple of things to include before it… so it might take one more chapter… SORRY! I just don't like to rush things too much… **


	9. Sometimes big secrets

**Chapter 9: **

**Sometimes big secrets are better left unsaid. **

**White House. Inside the Oval office. The following morning. **

Mackenzie Allen had put on hold her personal problems for a while. She was preparing herself to assist a TV show where she would be interviewed a couple of days after her birthday. She was completely focused on that when Dickie and Kelly entered in the Oval office.

Dickie- Ma'am President… we need to talk to you….

Mac- ok… tell me, what's going on?

They both looked at each other and then Dickie decided to talk first…

Dickie- We have a small problem.

Kelly- It could've been a small problem… now is a medium-sized problem because certain people didn't deal with it on time…

It was obvious that by "certain people" Kelly meant Dickie. He answered Kelly's accusation… 

Dickie- I don't think the problem is that big…

Kelly- Even when is a small problem; we could have avoided it if we had caught it on time…

Dickie- But we caught it!

Kelly- yes… At 9:45 AM. That is not very good… by that time the news had already gotten all over the country….

Mac got tired that seeing those two arguing instead of explaining what the problem was.

Mac- Guys, do you need me here for this meeting?

Dickie- I'm sorry, Madame. It's about the morning news. The third story on the News this morning is that Rod and Cristina Macalister were at a protest rally where they burned a flag.

Mac was shocked… that couldn't have happened… it was more than weird.

Mac- Today!

Kelly- About 25 years ago… it was a protest against abortion…

Mac sighed… that definitely made more sense. But she was still amazed because the press bothered covering something like that.

Mac- Let me see if I got this: The third story on the morning news is that two people, 25 years ago, when I didn't know them, participated in a demonstration where no laws were broken to protest against something that a lot of people disapprove? Just out of curiosity, what's the fourth story?

Dickie ignored that question and simply said…

Dickie- I think it's important, when we deal with it, that we…

Mac interrupted him talking in a serious tone…

Mac- Don't deal with it.

Dickie- Excuse me?

Mac- They just want me to comment on Rod's relationship with _that woman. _I wont give him the satisfaction.

Kelly and Dickie looked at each other again really worried because it was time to tell the President the other news.

Kelly- well… _"That woman" _is here in Washington…

Mac- What! Why!

At that moment Jim Gardner entered in the Oval Office and heard while Kelly explained to Mac…

Kelly- She is hiding from the reporters in the apartment her brother has here…

Jim- he came to hid in Washington! I'm sorry ma'am President… but Is that woman brain damaged or something?

They all gave glares at Jim but they had to admit that he wasn't so wrong… it had been incredibly dump from Cristina to come to Washington. But suddenly Mac had other idea in her mind…

Mac- so… she is in Washington…

Then she stood up, and firmly said…

Mac- I want to see her….

**Two hours later…. **

Vince entered in the Oval Office and announced to the President.

Vince- Ms. Macalister is already here ma'am, she is waiting for you in the Roosevelt Room… 

Mac stood up, with a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

Mac- ok… thanks Vince… 

Mac walked out the Oval Office and walked down the hallways until she reached the Roosevelt Room… She was a bit nervous… she hadn't seen Cristina in 20 years and the purpose of the encounter wasn't even clear to Mac herself… She just needed to confront that ghost from the past that now was haunting her marriage. A secret service agent opened the door for Mackenzie and Cristina stood up immediately.

Mac- Cristina Macalister… I haven't see you in a long time…

Cristina was still a very beautiful woman, and Mac hated that.

Cristina- Ma'am President, I'm glad you invited me here… It's a honor, really... 

Mac noticed that Cristina was really nervous and a bit scared. Obviously, Cristina didn't know what to do with the fact that Mackenzie Allen, her old rival, a woman whose death had wished, was now the President of the United States of America. And Mac loved intimidating Cristina like that.

Mac- Cristina… Do you have any idea why I wanted to see you?

Cristina- not really… is it because you think I'm sleeping with Rod? Because if that's it I can tell you right now that I haven't touched Rod in more than two decades…

Cristina was getting more nervous and Mac was really enjoying that…

Mac- Come on! If I thought that Rod is sleeping with you I would have had the secret service kill both of you by now…

Mac obviously meant it as a joke… however Cristina became more nervous.

Cristina- look… ma'am President…

Mac interrupted her.

Mackenzie- listen to me, this isn't a meeting with the President of the United States… this is just two women reunited after 20 years to talk about the husband of one of them who happened to be engaged with the other… You shouldn't feel threaten because I'm… you know….

Cristina completed the phrase for Mac…

Cristina- The most powerful person in the word?

Mac- yes, Thank you… well… that's just a political distinction that comes with the office. Right now I'm just a woman who wants to ask another woman one simple question…

Cristina- what question would that be?

Now Mac look at Cristina's eyes and asked very seriously.

Mac- is my husband cheating on me?

Cristina- no.

Cristina's had answered automatically. She hadn't hesitated, not even a second. Mac knew she was telling the truth.

Mac- then, what's going on between you and him?

Cristina- I hadn't seen Rod in 20 years… then, one day, four months ago I bumped into him and he found out that I live in New York now… and, since he is kind of living in New York too, we decided to meet some other day to catch up… we met, we talked, we decided to be friends, and that's it…

Mac- that's it?

Cristina- yes… he just needed a friend…

Mac nodded, she could relate to that feeling.

Mac- I see… so nothing happened… but he wanted something to happen. Didn't he? Cristina thought carefully her next words. Cristina- What he wanted was to hurt you. "_Mission Accomplished, Rod"_ thought Mac. Mac- but _you_ turned _him_ down? Cristina sighed. Trying to figure out the right way to explain everything to Mac. Cristina- One night he invited me to dinner in a fancy restaurant and he spend three hours talking about how upset he was with you, how disappointed he felt, how your Presidency made he feel less as a man and how much it hurt him something you did and he couldn't tell me what it was. He talked about how much he had wanted to be there for you but you wouldn't let him be there in the way he wanted. And he talked about how much he wanted to get back at you for all that. But then, at the fourth hour, we realized that he had spent the last three hours talking of nothing but you. He loves you very much, Mac. He really loves you. Mac was now very moved… Mac- and you don't have feelings for Rod anymore? Cristina- no, I got over him… I married somebody else and I was really happy until my husband passed away last year… I didn't even think about Rod again until I ran into him four months ago. Mac- and in that moment, when you saw him again after 20 years, didn't your old feeling for him come back to you? Cristina shook her head. Cristina- getting over Rod was the hardest thing I ever had to do… but I did it. I'm not willing to go through all that again. Mac nodded, she could totally relate to what Cristina was saying. Mac- I see… Cristina- look, ma'am President, I only came here today because I wanted to fix this misunderstanding… all my life is in the press now, I want it to stop… and is insulting that everybody thinks I'm trying to steal a married man…. Can you make the press to stop writing about me? Mac laughed at that… Mac- if only I had that power! Look, Cristina, it will be over as soon as the press finds a more interesting story to cover…. Your 15 minutes will be up soon… Cristina suddenly looked at Mac and a realization hit her… Cristina- wow… I just realized that… this might be my 15 minutes of fame, but you have to live with this everyday… you have to cope with people judging your personal life everyday… Mac nodded… then she laughed remembering something really stupid she read… Mac- the other day there was a poll in a magazine that said: _"Who do you think is the right woman for Rod Calloway? A- President Mackenzie Allen. B- his old love, Cristina Macalister. C- Neither. He should change them both for Kelly Ludlow, the young and hot press secretary." _ Both women laughed. Cristina- And who won? Mac- Kelly… and I came up third… Cristina- oh, I'm sorry… Mac- I'll get over it… Cristina smiled, feeling good for finally being able to talk to Mac. Then Mac got serious again. Mac- look… there is something else… Cristina, I found the letter…. Cristina's heart stopped for a few seconds. 

Cristina- Listen, I'm sorry about that… it was a mistake. I know that Rod and I were never meant to be together…and I was really heartbroken for a while but my life turned out all right. I realized a long time ago that what happened was our true destiny… He ended up where he belongs… and so did I.

That explanation was all what Mac needed. Somehow, she felt a lot better.

**White house. Residential part. Following day, very early in the morning. (The day before Mac's birthday)**

It 4:30 am and The President is still asleep. She is alone in her bed but then the phone woke her up… she picked it up, and half sleep said…

Mac- ok...put her through. (Long pause) Kelly, it is 4:30 a.m. If this isn't an emergency you will spend the rest of your career cleaning my toilet…. (She listened while Kelly said something and then became fully awake) You must be joking! (Listened to Kelly again) Yeah... all right.

Horace's room… 

Horace woke up and then looked around and saw Tim trying to quietly dress himself and gather up his things.

Horace- Tim? What are you doing? Oh God! We feel sleep! Crap!

Tim turned around and smiled at him…

Tim- don't worry… Nobody will see me. I'll leave the building before the press corps gets here.

Horace- funny… That's what I try to do every day of my life….

Suddenly Mac busted in the room feeling very angry…

Mac- what the hell were you two thinking? I support you but I never said Tim could spend the night in the White House… are you two insane?

Both boys felt completely embarrassed; they knew they had done something stupid.

Tim- I'm so sorry ma'am President… It was an accident, we feel sleep…

Horace- by the way… How are you even awake at 4:30?

Mac- Kelly called me… she is in on her way up…

Horace- Why!

Mac couldn't answer because at that moment there' was a knock on the door.

Mac- Come on in, Kelly….

Kelly came in and Mac took a deep breath.

Mac- so… how bad is the situation?

Kelly- They're camped out at every exit.

Tim and Horace looked at both women very confused…

Horace- Who? Who's camped out?

Mac- The press.

Kelly- Tim, you really should have taken a taxi to came here! They saw your car parking outside all night and recognized it…

Tim couldn't believe that the press even knew his car. Then Dickie entered in the room.

Dickie- Good morning, everybody. I came over as soon as Kelly called me.

Horace- Thank God!

They ignored the sarcasm, and Dickie continued talking.

Dickie- I think the important thing is not to make it look like we're panicking.

Mac- and I think the important thing is actually not to be panicking.

Dickie- the big dilemma is how do we exit Tim from the building and how do we explain all this?

Kelly- we just need a diversion.

Tim looked at everybody very concerned.

Tim- a diversion!

Horace- Don't worry… by diversion they are not suggesting we set the White House on fire.

Tim- good

Mac- No, please, let's do that.

Mac was clearly kidding but Dickie was everything too seriously.

Dickie- I can't be part of anything illegal…

Kelly- Good for you, Dickie! We need more honest citizens like you…

Dickie- Tease me all you want, but it's always the guy in my job that ends up doing eighteen months in Danbury Minimum Security Prison.

Mac rolled her eyes.

Mac- Relax Dickie. We're not creating any illegal diversion… not even a legal one.

Dickie- we are not creating any diversion? What are we going to do?

Mac- well, Tim's car must be surrounded by reporters so we will have somebody take him home.

Kelly- And what about the press statement?

This time Mac spoke to the young boys.

Mac- Look, you guys, from now on you're gonna be asked questions about your relationship every day. If you want to answer them, that's entirely up to you. But the White House's official position is to say "no comment".

Tim and Horace nodded understanding everything, but Dickie looked disappointed…

Dickie- No comment?

Mac- exactly… The White House will not comment on the First Son's personal life.

Dickie- We can't just leave it like that, Ma'am.

Mac- you know what, Dickie? We just did!

Dickie- But, Ma'am President...

Mac gave Dickie a very angry look and he and Kelly understood that the meeting was over and left the bedroom… Mac talked to the boys…

Mac- well Tim… the Secret Service will take you home…. And Horace, for God's sake… go call your father… we don't want him to hear about this on the news…

To be continued… 

HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER!

Please I want to see your reviews!


	10. Take a look at me now

Author's note: yes, I used some dialogue from "The American President" because I loved that movie very much… I'll also use a couple of things I really loved from "The West Wing"... I hope that doesn't bother anybody… Since I decided to post this chapter fast… I hope you thank me by reviewing this and my other stories! Lol ) ENJOY 

**Chapter 10: **

**Take a look at me now… **

**White House. Same Day. Right after dinner. **

After a long day of trying to do her job while coping with the scandal originated because Tim spent the night in the White House, Mackenzie could finally have a talk with Rod, who came back to Washington as soon as he found out what happened. Rod was devastated; he still couldn't accept the fact that his only son was in love with a guy. It was something that disappointed him very much. He had a terrible fight with Horace and now he was sitting in the living room couch holding his head, while Mac shook hers felling disappointed.

Mackenzie- Rod, I expected more from you.

Rod- look, I'll fix things with Horace… I'll try to accept this new "turn" in his life once I finish processing everything… it's just… right now I'm very angry and frustrated…

Mac still couldn't believe her husband had taken the news so badly.

Mac- Horace doesn't deserve that…

Rod suddenly got up and yelled angrily:

Rod- I'm angry and frustrated with YOU!

Mac startled with the yelling… Rod looked like he wanted to slap her so much.

Mac- I'm sorry I didn't tell you… but I had to respect Horace's wishes… 

Rod- he is my kid too… I deserved to know!

Mac- I know but he didn't want to tell you… what was I suppose to do? Break his trust? And is not like you never hid anything from me…

Rod rolled his eyes and very upset said…

Rod- sure Mac… turn this fight over you not telling me that Horace is gay into another fight about my dinner with Cristina Macalister …

Mackenzie shook her head feeling extremely sad.

Mac- I'm not talking about the dinner, I'm taking about the letter…

Rod was genuinely confused for a moment.

Rod- what letter?

Mac- the one she sent you the day before our wedding… the one you never told me about… the one you kept secret for 20 years.

Rod couldn't believe Mac found that letter. He defended his self as he could.

Rod- Mac, I only hid it because I thought there was no point in telling you… after all… I married you. That letter didn't change anything… you didn't need to know… but that's SO not the point, we are talking about Horace…

Mac had really run out of patience.

Mac- go talk about Horace with your precious Cristina… after all, she is the one who was supposed to be the mother of your children in the first place… She was supposed to be your perfect wife!

Rod thought that his wife was acting really irrationally.

Rod- Mac… don't be silly… 

Mac- I'm not being silly… I bet she would have really been perfect as your wife… I bet she would have been a great soccer mom… and I bet SHE would have told you about Horace…

Rod was loosing her patience.

Rod- you are right about that last thing… she WOULD have told me about Horace, because she would have treat me as her husband… because she is not a stubborn, control freak lady with this "wonder woman" complex who wants to do anything on her own… She would have actually made me feel appreciated and needed.

Mac's eyes fill with tear all the sudden and she hated that.

Mac- Go to hell!

Rod- Right back at ya!

Mac immediately stormed out of the room.

**Very late at night. In the presidential bedroom. **

Mac couldn't sleep. She was just laying in her bed staring at the ceiling. She couldn't stop thinking about Rod's words and seriously mistaken he was. She needed him more than anything. How could he not see that? She was a complete mess since he left. She needed him by her side; she should have never let him go to New York. Mackenzie couldn't help feeling that she gave up on Rod too easily, that she didn't do everything she could to save her marriage.

_How can I just let you walk away, just let you leave without a trace  
When I stand here taking every breath with you, ooh  
You're the only one who really knew me at all  
_

Mac turned around and watched the clock in her night table. It was pass midnight, so technically it was her birthday. All she could think about was in the empty side of her bed.

_How can you just walk away from me,  
When all I can do is watch you leave  
Cos we've shared the laughter and the pain and even shared the tears  
You're the only one who really knew me at all_

_So take a look at me now, oh there's just an empty space  
And there's nothing left here to remind me,  
Just the memory of your face  
Ooh take a look at me now, well there's just an empty space  
And you coming back to me is against all odds and that's what I've got to face  
_

**White House. East Wing. Late in the evening. **

The big birthday party was going on. Kate had really done a GREAT job organizing everything, the guest were really having a good time enjoying the good music and the amazing food. Mac looked gorgeous in the long red dress and she was trying really hard to enjoy her self, but she couldn't get her mind out of the fact that she and Rod were not even close to solve their problems. Of course, Mac and Rod were doing a great job pretending to be having a great time and pretending that there was nothing wrong with them, but both of their hearts were breaking. Of course, neither Mac nor Rod knew how much their separation was hurting the other.

_I wish I could just make you turn around… Turn around and see me cry  
There's so much I need to say to you,  
So many reasons why you're the only one who really knew me at all  
So take a look at me now, well there's just an empty space  
And there's nothing left here to remind me, just the memory of your face  
Now take a look at me now, cos there's just an empty space  
But to wait for you, is all I can do and that's what I've got to face  
Take a good look at me now, cos I'll still be standing here  
And you coming back to me is against all odds  
It's the chance I've gotta take  
Take a look at me now_

Rod was watching Mac from far, she was really beautiful, the long red dress she was wearing reminded Rod of the short red dress he had loved seeing in Mac so much and that was killing him. Rod went to get another drink and ran into Vince and Jim who were just chatting. Vince- hello Rod… Rod smiled politely at Vince and, ignoring Jim completely, said… Rod- hi Vince! How are you doing? 

Vince- fine…

Rod- I hope you are enjoying the party…

Vince- yes, I am… everything is GREAT… Kate is really wonderful at this.

Rod- isn't she?

At that moment they announced that it was time to cut the cake and sing the "Happy Birthday". Rod gave a really mad look at Jim and then left to be with the family.

After the cake was cut, Vince took the opportunity to talk to Jim.

Vince- Jim… Why is Rod so angry with you?

Jim pretended to be completely lost… 

Jim- What are you talking about? He is not mad at me…

Vince- look… I know you've never been his favorite but lately it's been like he hates you…

Jim shook his head. 

Jim- really Vince… I don't know what you are talking about…

Vince- Don't play stupid with me… I know something is wrong…

Jim- I don't play stupid, Vince… I'm stupid… frankly most times I'm just playing smart…

Vince laughed at that, and then he said in a friendly tone…

Vince- that's true… but, seriously, what's going on?

Jim decided that he could tell Vince. After all, Vince would never tell anybody and Jim really needed to get it out of his chest. He sighed deeply and said…

Jim- I kissed The President… 

Vince looked at him in horror and then said very seriously.

Vince- I REALLY hope you are talking about the President of our book club, because if you are talking about…

Jim cut him off a bit upset.

Jim- You know who I am talking about!

Vince nodded.

Vince- yes… sorry… it's just… What were you thinking, Jim?

Jim- I wasn't thinking!

Vince couldn't believe Jim had done something so stupid…

Vince- she loves her husband!

Jim- I know!

Vince- it doesn't seem like you do…

Jim looked at Vince with a very serious expression. Jim had been in a living hell because Mac loved Rod, so he was very aware of that fact.

Jim- Trust me… I know that.

Vince shook his head in disbelief.

Vince- I knew you were in love with her but I never thought you would be capable of doing something SO stupid…

Jim- I never meant for that kiss to happen… it was an accident…

Vince still couldn't believe that Jim kissed Mac. Very sarcastically said… 

Vince- an accident! I don't understand…. Did you trip over something?

Jim was a bit upset now…

Jim- Please Vince! Could you be a little supportive?

Vince- sorry… then, you kissed her… what happened after that?

This was Jim's favorite part. He smiled and said excitedly like a teenager… 

Jim- she kissed me back…

Vince wasn't very surprised to hear that, he knew that Mackenzie was in a very vulnerable state due her problems with Rod and she had probably kissed Jim back to feel better.

Vince- please… tell me you wisely ended that kiss, told her it was a mistake, apologized for being so stupid and the story ended there…

Jim looked at Vince a little embarrassed and said…

Jim- it didn't went exactly like that…

Vince- well… the only thing that would make everything really bad would be if Rod caught you…

Jim gave Vince a very uncomfortable look that could have been clearly translated into: "That's exactly what happened… and it was worse that you could ever imagine".

Vince- oh God… 

Jim- I know! Vince… I'm really sorry… I REALLY don't know what on earth possessed me to do such a thing… I guess I was really confused… I mean… I had just heard her send Rod to hell… and we were alone in the Gym…

Vince was confused… 

Vince- what does the gym have to do with anything?

Jim- I don't know! It's just… I'm NEVER alone in a room with The President except for the Oval Office… and in there everything is so formal… the gym, on the other hand, is not that Presidential.

Vince shook his head in disbelief… 

Vince- congratulations Jim, you have just found the stupidest excuse in the entire world…

Jim- Come on! Give me a break! I'm very hurt… I need to rationalize it somehow…

Vince- I'm sorry Jim… but when you and Mackenzie are alone in a room, Oval or ANY other shape, she will ALWAYS be The President and you will always be her Chief of Staff… and her friend… but nothing more.

Jim nodded; he knew Vince was totally right. But neither Jim nor Vince could say another word about the subject because a worried Horace interrupted them.

Horace- I'm sorry, guys… Do you know where my mom is?

Vince and Jim looked at each other confused.

Vince- isn't she right here in the party?

Horace shook his head very concerned and said… 

Horace- she disappeared right after cutting the cake… me, Becca and my grandma are trying to cover it… but people are obviously starting to notice…

Vince and Jim stood up… Jim- don't worry kid… we'll ask the secret service… She can't be far… 

Horace- I know… I'm just worried because she was a little weird when we cut the cake…

Vince- weird how?

Horace tried to find the right words to explain what he meant… Horace- I think she drank too much… 

They started walking towards the door of that room and they found two secret service agents guarding it. Jim asked them…

Jim- excuse me, Could you please tell me where is The President? it's important… her son is looing for her..

The agent looked at Horace and then explained… Agent- The President is in the West Wing right now… she said she wanted to be alone… 

If the agent thought that was very estrange, he didn't showed it. Horace, Vince and Jim thanked the Agent and then walked towards the West Wing. They searched that part of the White House until they eventually found Mac in the Oval Office. She was sitting in the couch and she was drinking what was left of a bottle of wine… without even using a glass.

Horace- mom… What the hell are you doing?

Mac startled at first, realizing that she had company. Then she got up, but she stumbled and almost fell down… but Vince caught her.

Vince- ma'am…Are you ok?

Mac- I'm drunk…

After saying that she started laughing hysterically…. The others just stared at her in shock.

Mac- I'm drunk at the Oval Office! Can you fucking believe it?

Horace- but Mom… the guests…

Mac continued laughing… and said… 

Mac- I know! can you imagine if they see me now? And your father would drop dead… he has never seen me drunk… that he knows off…

Mac was very drunk, but she still knew that people couldn't see her like that and that was the reason she hid in the Oval Office in the first place. Vince finally said…

Vince- I'll go get Rod…. he can put the President in bed while the rest of us try to make some decent excuse…

Mac protested… Mac- no! I'm mad at Rod… he hates me! 

Vince- ok… I'll get Kelly…

He left the Oval Office and then looked for Kelly… she found her talking to Dickie. When he was sure that nobody else was hearing, Vince explained…

Vince- the President is drunk at the Oval Office..

First Dickie and Kelly laughed like they had just head the funniest joke ever… but then they saw Vince's expression and realized that he was serious.

Dickie- oh… you are not joking… what are we going to do?

Vince- Kelly should put her in bed, making sure that nobody sees her and the rest of us just try to come up with a good story to explain why the President left without saying goodbye…

Kelly and Dickie nodded… then Kelly said…

Kelly- ok… but taking a drunk woman to bed sounds like a job for Dickie… 

Dickie and Vince gave her a mad look… then an idea hit Dickie.

Dickie- Rod should do it!

Vince- but they are on a fight right now…

Dickie- well… but if people notice that they both left… it will seem like nothing is wrong and that they are just "Celebrating in private"… if you know what I mean…

Kelly- Dickie, I always know what you mean…

They decided to go with that plan… they looked for Rod and took him aside to talk to him in private.

Rod- what's wrong?

Kelly- the President is drunk at the Oval Office…

Rod looked at them in shock… and then in a very serious voice said…

Rod- I'll give you 10.000 dollars if you tell me you are kidding…

**At the residence. Presidential bedroom. **

A few minutes later, Rod was helping Mac to get to her bed… but she wasn't so happy about it… 

Mac- Stop it! I can walk by me self, Rod… I don't need you!

Rod let her go just to prove her wrong. Mac tried to walk two steps by her self but she fell down.

Mac- Dam it! I bet Cristina Macalister doesn't get drunk… because she is so perfect…

Rod ignored that comment because he knew it was the wine taking. He simply helped Mac sit in her bed and took off her shoes.

Mac- and why are YOU helping me anyway? Where are the others?

Rod- they are saving your butt and thanking everybody for coming…

Mac- well… make sure they also thank Cristina Macalister just for being Cristina Macalister…

Rod felt completely devastated. He really missed Mac and he hated seeing her like that. She looked really hurt. Mac got in bed without even taking off her dress and closed her eyes. Rod looked at her and when he thought she was asleep he kissed her forehead and said…

Rod- I really want everything to be like before, baby… I wish I could turn back time… 

He looked at her one last time and then went to the guest room… He got in bed and tried to get some sleep but he couldn't. Several minutes later, there was a knock in the door. It was Mac, who had heard what Rod had just said about "turning back time". Rod looked at her confused… and Mac looked a little lost as well… she simple said…

Mac- I'm wearing a red dress… does it count?

For some estrange reason, Rod had never wanted her wife more… With a lot of desire he looked at her wife and said…

Rod- oh… that counts.

He pulled her for a very passionate kiss that he had no intentions to break.

To be continued… 


	11. What's the worst that could happen?

**Author's note: only four more chapters to go! This is where the surprises begin (because, let's face it, Rod and Mac getting back together didn't surprised anybody)… I hope you really enjoy these last chapters that will be longer than the rest. Also… here is where I start my tribute to "The West Wing".**

**Announcement: Chapter 12 will be dedicated to whoever recognizes witch lines and situations I use in this chapter are borrowed from "The West Wing"! **

**Chapter 11: **

**What's the worst that could happen?**

**White House. Residential part. The morning after Mac's birthday. **

Mac woke up with a small headache; she rubbed her eyes and noticed that she wasn't in her regular bed; she had spent the night in one of the Guest Rooms. She turned around and saw Rod sleeping next to her, and then last night came all back to her. She smiled widely remembering everything… The night before, she had come to the Guest Room Rod was using during the separation because she desperately wanted him back and they had spent a wonderful and hot night there. Rod woke up and saw Mac looking at him…

Rod- good morning, honey…

Mac- good morning…

Mac kissed him softly on the lips and then tried to get up, but Rod stopped her before she could leave the bed and whispered.

Rod- what do you think you are doing, Ma'am President? Is too early for you to leave the bed…

Mac smiled and allowed Rod to pull her into an embrace. She just laid in his arms for a few seconds, enjoying the fact that she had his arms wrapping her body again. Then she muttered…

Mac- I really should get up… The President shouldn't be late for work…

She said those words but she actually didn't move an inch. She wanted to stay in Rod's arms forever. He answered…

Rod- yes. But, you see, while you are the President of the United States, I'm the President of this bed… and I won't let you leave it yet…

Then Rod started kissing Mac's shoulders and neck in a way she loved.

Mac- Does it make me the First Lady of this bed?

Rod- actually, you are the ONLY lady of my bed…

Mac smiled and kissed Rod's chest.

Mac- much better…

Rod- so… what do you say? Am I getting reelected for President of your bed?

Mac kissed him passionately and then said…

Mac- you got reelected for that job last night… Remember?

Rod smiled remembering the night before and said…

Rod- yeah… but last nigh was just my campaign for the reelection…

Mac- oh… and what a big campaign it was…

They continued kissing and then Rod said…

Rod- it was a big campaign, but I only need one vote… Do I have it?

Mac- definitely… Rod, you can officially be the President of my bed for 20 more years… actually, you always were… no one could ever vote you out of that job…

Rod kissed her more passionately… Then Mac couldn't help laughing a little and said…

Mac- we should write a book: "bed talk for politicians"…

Rod- sounds a like a best seller to me…

Mac looked in his eyes and said in a sexy way…

Mac- Who is your "Chief of stealing your heart"?

Rod- you are.

**Later that same morning. Becca and Horace's school. **

It was Monday morning and the twins were at they school. Horace was getting a book he needed from his locker when Becca came to talk to him…

Becca- Horace… Can I ask you a question?

Horace- is not like I can say no…

Becca rolled her eyes.

Becca- well… here is the thing… my friend Karen likes a guy from the baseball team, Paul Smith… the problem is that I totally think Paul is gay, but what do you think?

Horace took a deep breath and counted to ten… then he answered.

Horace- jeez Becca… I'm new… I'm haven't had my "gay radar" installed yet…

Tim had seen the twins and walked towards them to greet Horace and give him some news, but he heard the last part of the conversation and pretended being shocked.

Tim- you haven't had your "Gay Radar" installed! But, honey, is illegal to be gay without it.

Becca got tired of Horace and Tim's sarcasm and he simply left, very angry. Then Horace kissed Tim softly on the lips.

Horace- I admit I'm intrigue now… Is Paul Smith gay?

Tim- he has the entire collection of Celine Dion's CDs… what do you think?

Horace- gayer than a picnic basket…

They laughed a little but then Tim got serious.

Tim- look, Horace, we have to talk about something…

Horace- sure… tell me…

Tim got suddenly very uncomfortable.

Tim- since everybody knows about us… I've been receiving very hateful insulting letters and some of them include death threats…

Horace nodded sadly. He wasn't surprised at all.

Horace- I know… I received ten insulting letters and four death threats in two days….

Tim couldn't believe something like that was happening to them… they didn't hurt anybody with their relationship.

Tim- This is stupid, really… we are in the XXI century!

Horace- so… what do the letters you received say?

Tim- I guess they same thing than the ones you received… but take a look a this one… is the one that worries me the most…

Tim took a letter from his pocket and handed it to Horace. The letter was written in computer so no one could recognize the handwriting. Horace read it and then he pretended to be very shocked and disappointed over something…

Horace- Oh No! We won't go to heaven? That sucks! I wanted to run for Saint…

Tim rolled his eyes… That wasn't the part that worried him, besides he definitely didn't think the insulting letters were funny.

Tim- this letter is not laughing matter… please, just read the next part…

Horace read a little more, and once again faked surprise to tease Tim…

Horace- wow… The Bible really says ALL that? I wonder if it mentions us by name…

Tim was very upset now…

Tim- I don't care about the stupid quotes from The Bible! Just read where it says that they are going to KILL us both…

Horace folded the letter and handed it to Tim… and very seriously said…

Horace- I don't need to read that… the letters I received say exactly the same thing…

Tim- what does the Secret Service think about all this? Are they trying to find out who…

Horace shook his head and interrupted Tim…

Horace- I didn't tell the Secret Service…

Tim was shocked and very worried about Horace.

Tim- Horace! Somebody wants to kill the President son…

Horace- look, whoever wrote that letter probably wasn't serious… they just want to scare us…

Horace didn't sound very convinced. Tim looked at the black female Agent that was looking at them from far, not hearing any part of the conversation.

Tim- I still think your agent should know…

Horace- I don't want to make this a big deal…

But Tim thought it was a big deal. He was very afraid for both of them but at least Horace had the chance to protect himself.

Tim- if somebody wants to kill you I think you should at least warn the woman whose job is to jump in front of the bullet…

Horace nodded, knowing that his boyfriend was right; he had to tell the Secret Service.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

White House. Inside the Pressroom. One week later. Early in the morning 

Kelly was in the pressroom doing the morning briefing like always; she was almost finishing.

Kelly- And, as you already know, the President had a small biking accident in Camp David. She hit her head pretty hard and has a bruise in her right knee but the Doctor said she doesn't have any serious injuries. The accident happened when the President and the First Gentleman were riding their bikes. The President challenged her husband for a race, speeded up and crashed her bicycle into a tree.

There was a general laugher coming from the reporters who found the situation very amusing. Kelly first looked at the reporters with a cold "that's not funny" look… but then she smiled and added.

Kelly- If you look inside the folders I gave you with all the information, you'll find pictures of The President not accepting any help after the accident and falling again… enjoy them.

The press laughed very hard. After that, the briefing was over and Kelly left the pressroom. While walking towards her office, Dickie started walking next to her….

Dickie- Kelly! Did you really have to use the phrase: "crashed her bicycle into a tree"?.

Kelly- well… that's what happened…

Kelly entered in her office, still followed by Dickie who was protesting…

Dickie- seriously Kelly! They are still laughing…. You should have been more serious about it…

Kelly thought Dickie wasn't the most appropriate person to talk about seriousness… so she rolled her eyes and said sarcastically…

Kelly- what was I supposed to say? "The President, while riding his bicycle, came to a sudden arboreal stop"?

Dickie- never mind…

Kelly noticed that Dickie, instead of leaving, made him self comfortable and took a sit in a couch she had in her office… That annoyed her a little bit.

Kelly- you know, Dickie, they won't fire you spending time in your own office for a change…

Dickie- actually, they never told me anything about that… so, just in case, let me stay here…

Kelly, trying to sound cold, said…

Kelly- seriously Dickie, May I help you with something else?

Dickie- actually, I have four questions for you…

Kelly- ok… tell me…

Dickie- Is the President back from Camp David? Is she really OK? Would you have dinner with me tonight? And could you give me a copy of the last speech she gave?

Kelly shook her head in disbelief and then She answered …

Kelly- Yes. Yes. Under no circumstances, and sure

Dickie- ok… I think "sure" was the answer to the dinner invitation, so I'll pick you up at seven.

Dickie was about to leave but Kelly stopped him.

Kelly- Dickie! "Under no circumstances" was the answer to the dinner invitation… I'm sorry but I can't go out with you…

The truth was that Kelly felt very attracted to Dickie, but he was Washington's bigger womanizer and she would probably end up getting hurt if she got involved with him

Dickie- why not?

Kelly- Because I'm not insane! Now, go to work!

Dickie left Kelly's office. He wasn't angry or offended at all. She expected Kelly to react like that because he knew exactly how Kelly felt about him and he was willing to be patient and slowly change the way she saw him.

**Later that same day. Oval Office. **

Vince and Horace entered in the Oval Office because they both had things to talk with the President. When they walked in, they saw Mac alone, talking on the phone with somebody…

Mac- yes, I'm really fine… it was nothing (She listened for a moment and then answered) Yes… the doctors have done X-raids and nothing is broken…

Horace clucked and said secretly to Vince …

Horace- except her big ego and three-thousand-dollar bike that I swore I would never lend anyone.

Mac continued talking on the phone, not hearing her son's comment…

Mac- well… Thank you so much for your concern, General. I'll see you in an hour…

She hung up the phone and then looked at Vince and Horace wondering what they needed.

Vince- ma'am President… the Secret Service needs your order signed right now…

Mac- ok… here you have it…

Mac took a piece of paper she had just sing and handed it to Vince.

Vince- thank you ma'am...

He left leaving mother and son alone. Horace got curious.

Horace- what was that order about?

Mac thought that there was no problem with telling Horace, so she explained…

Mac- is about a security procedure… see, I'm going to a TV program next week and I don't want to use a canopy or a tent to enter and exit the building where they'll film the show… and they wanted that in written, just for the record…

Horace was now a little annoyed…

Horace- and do they also have in written that you are a hypocrite?

Mac could imagine why Horace was saying that; she suspected it was for the same reason he had come to see her in the first place.

Mac- look… I know you are upset….

Horace- you bet I am upset, Mom! My sisters and me have ten more Secret Service agents following us… TEN more!… Because you and dad ordered it…

Mac could understand perfectly why having the Secret Service's help was annoying, and she herself avoided it as much as she could, but when I came to her children she thought that no security measure was excessive.

Mac- Horace, you need to be extremely careful right now… somebody wants to kill you!

Horace- yes, I know that… but I also know that if you don't soft a little the security measures Becca will be the one who kills me…

Mac- Becca will understand why you have to be more protected than ever… it's not your fault…

Horace- she is really mad at me…

Mac was losing her temper. She was tired of Becca being a spoiled little brat who doesn't understand why some things are more important than her.

Mac- I don't give a dam! I need the Agents to be extremely careful with you right now. I don't care if it affects her as well…

Horace shook his head in disbelief…

Horace- It's not just that Becca is mad at me… I also thing the new security measures are excessive… I agree with her…

Mac couldn't believe Horace had said those words…

Mac- you agree with Becca?

Horace- yes, and you know that makes me crazy…

Mac nodded. Unfortunately, she couldn't please her kids on this. She had to put her foot down.

Mac- well, I'm sorry… but the security measures will stay high until they catch the guy who sent you the threats…

Horace got angrier than ever and yelled…

Horace- you are such a hypocrite! Mom… you scare the hell out of the Secret Service, a President like you is the Agent's worst nightmare because you are incredibly carefree when it comes to your own security. Why do you expect Becca and me to be extremely careful when YOU are not careful?

Mac shook her head. She wouldn't let Horace win this.

Mac- I didn't want to mention this… but I'm the President and I'm your mother, so I get to do whatever I want…

Horace- that's not fair! If you are too arrogant and stubborn to take care of your self then I have the right to act just like you…

Mac was loosing her temper… very seriously; she looked at Horace and explained…

Mac- Horace… you have to understand something…. My getting killed would be really bad, but that is not the nightmare scenario. That's not the worst that could happen… The most horrible scenario is you getting killed. Just imagine this: You go out to a bar or a party in some club and you get up to go to the restroom, alone. When you enter in the bathroom somebody comes from behind and puts his hand across your mouth and drags you out the back door. You're so petrified that you drop you panic button and you don't even notice the bodies of a few Secret Service agents laying on the ground with bullet holes in their heads. Then you're taken to a very lonely and dark alley. The party where you were It's very big party, with lots of noise and lots of people coming and going… so, half an hour passes before someone says: "Hey, where's Horace?"… Then it's another hour and a half before anyone even THINKS about shutting down all the airports. So… while you are already dead in that ally, the killers are in a plane that will take them to the middle South Africa, where no one will be able to find them… Now it's game over. The Secret Service tells me that they found your body. Here is where the nightmare really begins, because this country is no longer ran by a President… This Nation is now ran by a mother who lost her child and is going out of his mind because his little boy got murdered and she can't find the killers because they are somewhere in the middle of South Africa. Can you get that, Horace!

Mac had tears in her eyes and she had gotten really nervous just imagining all those things. Horace was stunned after hearing what her mother said… he was speechless and simply nodded.

Horace- yes, I get it, mom.

They couldn't say another word because, at that moment, Vince entered shyly in the Office.

Vince- I'm sorry ma'am, the Vice President is already here to see you…

Mac- thank you Vince, send him in, please…

Horace left and then Vince went to get the Vice President. After a short while, Warren Keaton entered in the Oval Office. In the minute Mac saw him, she knew something was terribly wrong.

Warren- Good evening, ma'am.

Mac- Good evening, General. Please… take a sit…

They both took a sit in the big couch, so they could talk more comfortable.

Warren- you must be wondering why I wanted to talk to you alone…

Mac- yes… you said it was something personal… and I have the feeling that you have bad news.

Warren nodded sadly.

Warren- yes, I have bad news.

Mac looked at him, and nodded to encourage him to continue talking, but apparently it was very hard for Warren to say what he had to say…

Mac- please Warren… you can tell me anything…

Warren Keaton sighed, and then, with a lot of pain in his eyes, he said…

Warren- I have to resign, Mac..

Mac was stunned. _"What the hell?"_ she thought.

Mac- What?

Warren- I can't run with you for the reelection anymore… and I can't even finish this term...

After the first shock… Mac simply felt angry. She stood up yelling…

Mac- unbelievable!

Warren felt incredibly guilty. He tried to mutter an excuse…

Warren- I'm sorry… but if you knew…

Mac ignored that and continued complaining…

Mac- I don't believe you are doing this to me! Jeez…this administration doesn't really need an opposition party, we do that pretty fine ourselves.

Now Warren just felt like crap. He really didn't want to hurt Mackenzie, but he had no choice.

Warren- Mac… I don't want to do this…. But I have to…

Mac- the elections are in six months Warren! Why are you doing this?

Warren hesitated for a few seconds. What he had to say was very difficult and it really hurt him.

Warren- I can't tell you…

Mac- please… After all I've been through this year, and after working so dam hard to get to where I am, I think I deserve to know why my Vice President is trying to destroy my hard work by leaving like a fucking coward...

Really out of the blue, Warren yelled…

Warren - because I'm going to be dead in six months!

Mac was stunned…

Mac- what?

Warren- I have a brain tumor …

Mac's face became white. She gasped and put her hand in her mouth, shocked.

Mac- oh my god! Warren… I'm so sorry… What are you going to do now?

Mac was asking if Warren was planning to have and operation or maybe chemo. But he just said…

Warren- I'm just going to die, I guess.

Mac's eyes filled with tears.

Mac- oh Warren…

Warren- The Doctor says I will only live four more months if I'm lucky… what I have is inoperable.

Mac was crying now, and she gave the great man in front of her a friendly and supportive hug. After talking for a while, Warren left. Mac decided that they would announce Warren's resignation the following day and that she would have to function without a Vice President for a while. Besides her multiple concerns, she now had to find a new partner to join her in the run for the Presidency.

To be continued… 

Author's note: For the record, I love Warren Keaton… I had my doubts at first about him… but he really had me in "First Scandal"… I hated giving him a terminal illness but I needed his spot in the administration (and in the Presidential succession line) to be wide open. Later you'll see why…

**By the way… THANKS SO MUCH for the reviews I got… I love them… they make my day! Please… keep them coming! You are great! **

Lara


	12. what kind of a day it's been?

Author's note: This chapter is based on two episodes of The West Wing: "What kind of a day has it been?" (The greater season finale ever) and "Celestial Navigation" (which I consider the funniest episode in the story of The West Wing).

**Warning: this chapter will be VERY long but I tried to make it as funny and interesting as I could. Please… be patient and enjoy it! **

**Chapter 12: **

What kind of a day it's been 

**August 22 of the year 2015. (a week after Warren Keaton resigned)**

**18:00 Hs.**

Dickie was talking to a large group of high school students in a school's theatre. He was giving an informal lecture about working in the White House. At that moment, he had already given a small speech after being introduced and it was time of the questions round. Mr. Vergara, the teacher, was in charged of making the first questions; he and Dickie had taken a sit in the two chairs that were on the stage.

Mr. Vergara- Dickie, Could you please start by telling us how is a typical day of work in the White House like?

Dickie clucked a little and then he explained…

Dickie- well… the first thing you should know about a typical day of work in the White House is that there is NO such thing… I mean… we do plan everyday carefully and we do follow an agenda … but chances are that the planed day will turn into a chaotic hell by 9:00 am…

The audience laughed and then Mr. Vergara asked genuinely interested…

Mr. Vergara- Would you mind explaining us a little more about that "chaotic hell"?

Dickie thought for a second about how to explain it… then he simple said.

Dickie- ok… I'll use the last 10 hours as an example. I guess most of you know that in two hours The President will make an appearance in a political TV show…

Every member of the audience nodded, and Dickie could hear a lot of people saying: "Yes", "Of course" and "yes, I knew". He continued talking…

Dickie- She will be interviewed in the George Francis's Show, and today everything was supposed to be about that… it was all supposed to be about the President announcing her educational reform package in the morning and going to that TV program at night…

By that point, everybody guessed correctly that the day wasn't about that at all…

Mr. Vergara- but it wasn't about it at all…

Dickie- no, it wasn't. Depending on how you look at it, today was about either a Cabinet Secretary losing her temper and making the entire Catholic Church upset, the President answering a question she shouldn't have, a dentist appointment, or me being incredibly stupid while dealing with the press.

Flashback. Earlier that same day…. At 8:00 AM.

Dickie entered in Kelly's office where she was talking with her assistant, Laurie. Dickie apologized for interrupting and asked…

Dickie- I'm sorry Kelly… what time is your next press briefing scheduled for?

Kelly- eleven…

Dickie- oh… and would you mind changing it to one? That way we can play up the education bill and control the news cycle.

Kelly nodded, thinking that was a good idea, and then touched her right cheek in pain.

Laurie- you can't do the press briefing at one… you have _the thing_ at 12:30…

Kelly- Yes, and this is a perfect excuse to postpone the thing.

Dickie was confused and Kelly continued touching her cheek in pain.

Dickie- what's _the thing_?

Kelly- I have a dentist appointment, because I've experiencing some pain…

Dickie- when did it started?

Kelly- a month ago… but it doesn't matter… it will go away by it self…

Dickie- when?

Kelly- when I die, Dickie… anyway… I'll just cancel the appointment…

Dickie- no, don't cancel it… You can reschedule the briefing for 2 o'clock, do it after visiting the dentist…

Kelly- ok… I'll do that…

Dickie nodded, satisfied, and then, smiling in a seductive way, he said…

Dickie- you have to take good care of your teeth, Kelly, you are too sweet and that's bad for them…

Kelly, still in a lot of pain, gave Dickie a cold look and said…

Kelly- now it's not the time!

**Same Day. 8:15 AM. Oval Office**.

President Mackenzie Allen was talking to Jim Garner. Mackenzie couldn't believe what Jim ha just told her.

Mac- She called him narrow-minded and ignorant on National TV?

Jim- oh… she didn't use those words…

Mac- then what words did she use?

Jim, a bit ashamed, was forced to tell the truth.

Jim- Well… yes, she used exactly those words….

Vince entered in the Oval Office…

Vince- excuse me ma'am… Kelly is coming to talk to you right now, I already told her to find any stories she cans in the press about the Secretary of Health and Human Services calling Archbishop Danes an ignorant and narrow-minded…

Archbishop Milton Danes was a very important person in the religious community and the entire Catholic Church was surely very angry because a Cabinet Secretary insulted him. Mac shook her head in disbelief… At that moment, Rod (who Mac had named "Senior advisor" after he quit his job in New York), entered in the Oval Office looking worried…

Rod- so… Archbishop Danes was really called ignorant and narrow minded?

Archbishop Danes was really an ignorant and narrow-minded, the guy was really an idiot, but nobody could believe that someone actually dared saying that in his face. Mac was actually a bit impressed because of that and she couldn't help to giggle a little while remembering that. Vince added...

Vince- Actually, She was pretty careful to include all Catholics…

A few seconds letter, Kelly entered.

Kelly- Ma'am President, I found an article that describes the argument between Secretary Geller and Archbishop Danes…

Mac- and what does it say?

Kelly started reading exactly what the article said…

Kelly- "Last night, Secretary of Heath and Human Services, Margaret Geller and Archbishop Danes, were being interviewed together in a political TV Show. Almost at the end of the interview, Secretary Geller said: "The best way to fight AIDS is with a good prevention program… prevention and educating people on the matter is very important, specially educating young people, we must improve the way we teach sexual education in the schools… so far they are only teaching abstinence and it's not working…" This comment made the archbishop very angry, he replied: "are you suggesting that we start giving free condoms in schools and teaching kids how to use them? That would encourage the good kids to have sex and it would encourage the others to have MORE sex … abstinence until marriage is the only thing that can really prevent AIDS and teaching the kids that really works…". By this point, Secretary Margaret Geller, was incredibly annoyed, and she exclaimed angrily that she couldn't argue with a person who'd say something like that because anyone who even thought that was an ignorant and VERY narrow-minded. "Are you calling me ignorant and narrow-minded?" asked Archbishop Danes, stunned. Secretary Geller looked at him with a malicious grin and said: "If the shoe fits…."

At that point, Kelly finished reading the article and Mac at the others in disbelief….

Mac- "If the shoe fits?" Are you kidding me? Couldn't she come up with something better than that?

Kelly and Vince giggled, but Jim didn't think it was funny. He said to Mac, very seriously…

Jim- Ma'am President, of her many transgressions, let's not worry about the fact that she resorted to a cliché. Let's worry about what you'll say about it if they ask your opinion about this…

Kelly interrupted shyly…

Kelly- I'm sorry… Ma'am, the article actually gets a little worst…

Kelly handed Mac the article. Mac started reading where Kelly had left…

Mac- "_When reporters confronted Secretary Geller, after the TV Show was over, she defended her self saying..." _ (Mac stopped reading and then exclaimed very irritated) Oh… come on!

Rod took the article from Mac's hands and explained…

Rod- look, honey… we can't worry about it now… you have to get ready to announce the educational reform package and sign the bill…

Present Time. Back to Dickie's conference.

The audience was listening to the story very carefully. Most of them had seen the story the press but they were very interested in Dickie's point of view. He continued talking…

Dickie- So, by noon, The President went to the Mural Room for the announcement and she spoke briefly.

Dickie paused and then corrected himself…

Dickie- actually, President Allen has never spoken briefly in her life. But, she spoke, that's the important thing. She spoke, signed the bill and gave away a few pens. Then she took a few questions from the press. Now, before I go on, I'll point out that according to every poll in the universe, the issue that concerns Americans more than any other is education. And the President had just signed off on $700,000,000 in new money for education and announced a plan of aggressive education initiative. What do you think the first question from the press was?

Flashback. 12:00 O'clock. At the Mural Room.

After the announcement, The President was taking questions from the Press. A male reporter called Charlie asked the first one…

Charlie- Ma'am president… Do you agree with Secretary Margaret Geller? Do you also think Archbishop Danes is ignorant and narrow-minded? And, if you don't, Will you ask her to resign?

Mac looked at Rod, Jim and Vince, who were next to her, and then she simply said…

Mac- I think Margaret Geller is doing a great job as Secretary of Health and Human Service, she is very appreciated in this administration.

Charlie just looked confused. Another reporter was about to ask something bur Charlie interrupted…

Charlie- I'm sorry ma'am President… but that didn't exactly answered my question…

Mac- yeah… I know… I was hoping you wouldn't notice that.

Charlie- but I did, ma'am.

Mac nodded… trying to think what to say next. She didn't want to answer the question.

Mac- then, I'll have to tell you that I'm aware that Archbishop Danes doesn't agree with this administration in a lot of things. But there are many Catholics who actually support Secretary Geller's proposal to prevent AIDS and I bet she is hoping to be able to work with them.

Reporters started asking questions frenetically, but Charlie took over once again.

Charlie- I'm sure that was an answer to a question, Ma'am, President. But it wasn't the answer to mine.

Back to the present. At Dickie's lecture.

Dickie shook his head and said…

Dickie- If only they had stopped it right there. If only they had said something like " Sorry, The President can't take any more questions right now" or "We'll cover this in a briefing" or even "The building is on fire!" They probably assumed it was the Press Secretary's job to do that… But, when it was too late, they realized that there was no Press Secretary in the room.

Flashback. Bu noon. Still in the Mural room.

Charlie eventually gave up and let another reporter do the next question.

Reporter- Ma'am President… Even when Archbishop Danes thinks differently than this administration… Don't you think the Administration should be more tolerant with him? Shouldn't the White House show more tolerance toward those who think differently?

Mac was now very irritated. Without even thinking it, she said…

Mac- I believe that, as long as Archbishop Danes remains intolerant toward gays, lesbians, single mothers, divorced women and the first amendment of our constitution THIS White House will remain very intolerant towards him.

Rod and Jim looked at each other in panic, realizing what Mac had just said. Rod said to Vince…

Rod- Oh my god, get her out of here.

Vince stepped forward and addressed the room.

Vince- I'm sorry… all this is going to be covered in today's two o'clock briefing. The President's late for lunch with the U.N. ambassador. I'm sorry.

They get Mac out of the room and they all headed back towards the Oval Office. Mac said sarcastically…

Mac- well… That went pretty well.

Mac got inside the Oval Office. Before following her, Jim stopped Vince and told him…

Jim- hey Vince…

Vince- Yes?

Jim- The U.N. ambassador is in Portugal.

PRESENT TIME. Back in Dickie's lecture.

Dickie hit his own head in frustration…

Dickie- Seven words. That's all they needed. Seven words: "The President won't take any more questions". Those seven words could have saved the day. If Vince had stepped in 30 seconds sooner the day would have gone a lot differently. The President had said that the White House would remain intolerant toward Archbishop Danes and the press wanted to know if that meant that she was declaring war to the Catholic Church. That was what the day was about now. And the day was about to get even worse...because I was about to step to the plate.

Mr.Vergara- what do you mean? What did you do wrong, Dickie?

Dickie sighed deeply and started defending himself.

Dickie- I did nothing wrong... I mean, I made a little mistake… but it wasn't my fault. Look… everything should have ended at 2 o'clock. Kelly Ludlow was supposed to do the press briefing. She was supposed to tell the reporters that there was NO war against the Catholic Church and redirect their attention to the 700 million bucks that we had just spent on teachers. But something went wrong…

Dickie did a pause, and then, knowing that the audience probably wanted to know what went wrong, he said…

Dickie- Who here has had emergency root canal?

Flashback. That same afternoon. At 1:50 PM.

Dickie was in his office when Kelly knocked at the door. She had a very swollen cheek and was speaking out of the side of her mouth. She said weakly.

Kelly- Hi Dickie.

Dickie looked at her worried.

Dickie- What the hell happened to you?

Kelly- I had _woot canaw_.

Dickie- I mean… What happened to your cheeks? And why are you talking like that?

Kelly was having a terrible time pronouncing the words correctly especially because she had cotton in her mouth… she said desperately…

Kelly- I had _woot canaw_!

Dickie- Yeah, I heard you the first time. I was just amusing myself.

Kelly was now very annoyed. Decided to tell him what he needed to tell him.

Kelly- I have to _cancew_ the _bwiefing_.

Dickie looked at her in panic.

Dickie- You can't cancel the briefing!

Kelly.- _Wook _at me!. I _wook an soud didiculus_…

Dickie rolled his eyes…

Dickie- you don't look and sound ridiculous… You'll be great.

Kelly- I can't do the _bwiefing_! I can't even say "_bwiefing_"

Dickie- You can't cancel the briefing, Kelly! We need you to make the press forget about the war against the Catholic Church… you have to make them focus in the educational reforms again…

Kelly was getting more and more desperate… she knew the briefing was particularly important today, but she really couldn't do it.

Kelly- Richard!

Dickie- I'm sorry but…. (Realizing something) did... did you just say my real name?

Kelly sighed and rolled her eyes… then she say…

Kelly- _fodget_ it! I'll _cancew_ the _bwiefing_.

Dickie- No… don't cancel it… I'll do it…

Kelly looked at him with a horrified face.

Kelly- No way! You get _howstiwe_!.

Dickie- I don't get hostile! Well… I don't get randomly hostile. I get hostile when hostility is required.

To Dickie, everything was settled. He got up, pulled on his suit jacket and heads out his office.

Dickie- watch out reporters! This is Richard "Dickie" Macdonald coming at you with your two o'clock briefing!

Before he could walk towards the pressroom, Kelly stopped him.

Kelly.- Dickie, _pwease_ be _vewy cawefuw._ _Twy vewy, vewy hawd_ not to _destwoy_ us.

Dickie- You shouldn't say that Kelly. By the way, you've got a great body... Pressroom Here I go! Woo!

Dickie, who was clearly enjoying the situation, entered in the pressroom. Before he could get to the podium Charlie stopped him.

Charlie- Dickie. You're not gonna do this. Aren't you?

Dickie- You mean the briefing? Yes, I'll do it…

Charlie shook his head with concern… the reporters (Charlie included) would eat Dickie alive.

Charlie- You don't wanna do this.

Dickie- come on! I talk to reporters all the time.

Charlie- You really don't want to do this.

Dickie was now very offended. Why everybody thought he wasn't capable to do the briefing?

Dickie- Let me tell you something, folk. I'm a graduate of Harvard and I believe that my powers of debate can rise to meet the Socratic wonder that is the White House Press Corps.

PRESENT TIME. Back to Dickie's school conference.

Dickie was still talking to his audience about the events that took place a couple of hours ago.

Dickie- before I go on, I would like to say a couple things in my own defense. First of all, everything was fine. I managed to redirect the attention to the Educational Reform Package and then I opened the room up to questions while imposing a discipline I felt had been lacking in Kelly's briefings.

FLASHBACK. The 2'o clock briefing.

Dickie was at the podium he had just finished talking and now it was the moment of the questions.

Dickie- before we start with the questions… let me tell you I'll take one question for reporter.

Everybody raised their hands and started yelling Dickie's name. Finally, he chose one reporter called Luis.

Luis- When was the last time the President visited her gynecologist?

Dickie was stunned. He couldn't believe somebody asked that. With a face that showed his disbelief, he said…

Dickie- You only get to make one question today, Luis. Are you sure you want it to be THAT stupid?

Kelly (who was watching the briefing on the T.V. she had in her office) prettified felling horrified.

Kelly- Oh my god!

In the pressroom, a female reporter, called Jill, started defending her colleague.

Jill- It's not a stupid question, Dickie. If President Allen is going to continue receiving founds for her campaign from the "Breast Cancer foundation"… and since she participates so strongly in this foundation's informative campaigns… is it unreasonable to as ask if she visits her gynecologists periodically as is recommended by the "Breast Cancer Foundation"?

Dickie was now lost… He simple decided to call another reporter called Steve.

Dickie- Well, then, uh... Steve, you go.

Steve was very surprised. While watching everything in her office, Kelly wanted to die.

Steve- So, you're not gonna answer Luis and Jill's questions?

Dickie- I'll look into it. Next question please…. Charlie?

Charlie- Dickie, we already know about Secretary Geller's proposal to improve sexual education in the schools and prevent HIV from spreading among the teenagers… but does the Presidenthave any plan to take care of that issue?

Dickie- I assure that the President is very interested in improving the way we teach sexual education in the schools so we can prevent HIV from spreading among teenagers…

Charlie- I'm sure The President cares about teenagers, Dickie. But does she have any specific plan to prevent HIV in the schools?

Dickie actually didn't know the answer for sure. But he could imagine it.

Dickie- Twenty-four PhD's work in the "Health and Human Services Department", including Secretary Geller. They must have a plan to educate people and prevent HIV from spreading in the population.

Charlie- and you won't tell us about that plan because is a secret?

Dickie rolled his eyes and said very sarcastically.

Dickie- Yeah, Charlie. We have a secret plan to prevent HIV.

In her office, Kelly was watching everything in horror. She was about to have a nervous breakdown.

Kelly- Oh my God!

Still behind the podium, Dickie continued answering questions. He called a female reporter called Samantha.

Samantha- Dickie, when will the President reveal her secret plan?

Dickie- There is no secret plan!

Samantha- But you have just said...

Dickie laughed nervously. He couldn't believe what was happening.

Dickie- I was being sarcastic with Charlie…. I was kidding!

Samantha- HIV is not a joking matter, Dickie! Can you give us a straight answer?

Dickie simply looked lost by that point while Charlie smiled triumphantly.

Dickie- I honestly can't remember the question.

Still watching everything from her office, Kelly simply groaned and took some painkillers.

PRESENT TIME. Dickie's lecture.

Dickie continued telling the story to his audience.

Dickie- I guess that's pretty much when the wheels came off the wagon. A reporter called Charlie had thrown me a knuckle ball in the dirt, which I'd taken a big swing at, and, just like that, the President had a secret plan to Prevent HIV in the schools.

Flashback. That same afternoon. At 3'o clock. Right after Dickie's 2'o clock briefing was over.

Dickie leaves the pressroom feeling incredibly stupid. He walked to his office quickly to hide from everyone. Right before entering in his office, he saw Kelly standing in the office's door. She was furious. He muttered sarcastically to him self.

Dickie- Yeah, that's the face I wanted to see right now.

Kelly saw him entering in his office, and followed him yelling…

Kelly- RICHARD! What the _heww _happened in _thewe_? You _compwetewy _messed up!

Dickie tried, in vain, to defend him self.

Dickie- I wouldn't say completely.

Kelly - You _wewe_ vague, you _wewe howstiwe_, you did it _howiby_! You _kwow_ how _harw_ will be _fow _me to fix this?

Dickie- don't worry. I'm gonna fix this.

Kelly- No, _you'we_ not. You _awe _not _even awwowed_ to go to my _pwesswoom_ _evew_ again!

Dickie sighed. He felt incredibly guilty and he knew he had screwed up big time.

Dickie- I'll call Rod's office to find out if he was watching.

As soon as he picked up the telephone to make the phone call, they heard Rod yelling from the hall.

Rod- Where the hell is he!

Dickie dropped the phone feeling a little scared.

Dickie- I guess he was watching… please, Kelly, support me on this.

Kelly- No!

Dickie- Thanks!

Rod walked in Dickie's office very mad. Rod had never been so mad at Dickie before.

Rod- Have you fallen on your head? Have you fallen down and hit your head on something hard?

Dickie knew there was nothing he could do but apologize.

Dickie- look… I feel really bad about this.

Rod exclaimed sarcastically…

Rod- Oh, well then. I guess that's all that really matters.

Dickie- Hey! I really think this isn't as bad as you're making it out to be.

Kelly, not believing that Dickie still had the nerve to defend himself, yelled.

Kelly- A _secwet pwan_ to _prewet_ HIV!

Rod clucked after hearing Kelly talking like that…

Rod- Okay, Kelly, for a little while you're gonna have to write it down.

Jim busted in, very upset…

Jim- we have a problem…

Rod- No kidding!

Jim- is not about Dickie.

Dickie sighed in relief.

Dickie- Praise God!

Jim- Although I've gotta say, telling a reporter his question's stupid wasn't very brilliant.

Dickie- Thank you, Jim.

Rod didn't have any patience left. He looked at Jim urging him to explain…

Rod- So, what's the problem?

Jim was a little afraid of telling Rod what he had to tell.

Jim- You're not gonna like it.

Rod- Believe me, Jim, the only thing that could make this day worse is if Nathan Templeton got involved.

Realizing, because of Jim's look, that what he said was exactly what happened, Rod simply sighed in disbelief.

A few minutes later… in the Oval Office.

Rod, Dickie, Kelly and Jim, entered in the Oval Office. Mac was looking at some papers in her desk, but when she saw almost the entire senior staff in her office she started to worried…

Mac- oh… is something wrong?

Mac stood up and went to the middle of her office, and they all formed a semi-circle around her.

Rod- Mac, before you go to that TV show tonight, you should be aware of a few…

Jim- Catastrophes?

Rod- incidents that happened in today's press briefing…

Mac was surprised. She hadn't seen the briefing that day, but as far as she knew it was always perfect.

Mac- What kind of incidents?

Everyone stared at Dickie, who was looking guilty at his feet. He suddenly got that they wanted him to explain.

Dickie- Oh. Ok. It started when I asked Kelly to move the briefing to two o'clock so that we could talk about the educational reforms. But Kelly had an emergency root canal surgery at noon and because of that she was unable to do the press briefing.

Mac looked everyone worriedly…

Mac- Then who did the briefing?

Dickie- I did.

Mac opened her eyes wide open in shock, and said…

Mac- Oh God!

Dickie- Yeah. It's a long story, Ma'am President… the short version is that when you go to the show tonight you' are probably going to be asked about your secret plan to prevent HIV in the schools.

Mac was a bit confused.

Mac- I have a secret plan to prevent HIV?

Dickie- No, ma'am.

Mac- Then why am I going to be asked about that?

Dickie was getting more and more nervous.

Dickie- Well… It was suggested in the Press Room you that had a secret plan to improve sexual education and prevent HIV schools.

Mac couldn't believe it.

Mac- who the hell suggested that?

Dickie- I did... Ma'am…

She was starting to feel very upset. She walked toward Dickie in a very threatening way.

Mac- YOU told the press I have a secret plan to prevent HIV?

Dickie was really scared and he to excuse him self….

Dickie- No! I did not. Let me be absolutely clear, I did not do that…

The rest shot him with their looks so Dickie had to confess…

Dickie-I mean… yes, Ma'am President… I did that.

Now Mac was really lost… nobody was being clear. What the hell really happened?

Mac- Dickie, I'm a little confused.

Dickie- Ma'am… a very stupid reporter was there… and I answered his question sarcastically. I was just joking and being sarcastic! There's no way they didn't know that! The reporters were just mad at me for imposing discipline and calling them stupid!

Mac was very overwhelmed. She simply sighed and said…

Mac- Okay, before we go on…. Kelly, even if blood is gushing from the head wound you just received from a stampeding herd of bison, YOU will do the press briefing.

Kelly- Yes Ma'am.

Then Mac looked at Dickie again and shook her head, still in disbelief.

Mac- A secret plan to prevent HIV!

Dickie- I'm sorry. There was no turning them back, Ma'am President. I denied it for half an hour but they wouldn't take no for an answer.

Mac- Were you clear?

Dickie- yes, I was crystal clear. They said: "Do you think if the President has a plan to prevent HIV, it's right that she keeps it a secret?" and I said: "Of course not!"

Mac now looked like she was trying very hard not to strangle Dickie.

Mac- so… what you are saying is that not only you invented a secret plan to prevent HIV, but also that you don't even support it?

Dickie was just stunned. He was about to say something… but Rod jumped in.

Rod- honey, as much as we would love nothing more than to stand here and watch you beat the living crap outta Dickie, there is actually a bigger fish to fry.

Mac could totally guess what Rod was taking about.

Mac- what did Templeton do now?

Rod- He is publicly defending Archbishop Danes.

Jim- Templeton said that you owe Danes an apology and that he won't take your side in your "War against the Catholic Church"…

Mac rolled her eyes. She was so sick of Nathan Templeton.

Mac- Nathan is just being Nathan. I won't follow his game. I refuse to dignify that man's shit with an answer… what we are gonna do is the following: I'm going to get ready for the show, Dickie is going to go to that lecture he got, Jim and Rod will help me preparing what I'll say in the show and Kelly will fix the misunderstanding with the press. And let's hope that nothing happens today to make this any worse, although I certainly wouldn't bet the house on it. Ok. That is all.

Jim- Thank you, Ma'am. President.

They all left, except for Dickie, who felt terrible and wanted so say something else.

Dickie- Ma'am, I wanna say that I'm really sorry and that this mess will be cleaned up in an adult and professional manner. I swear.

Mac- Good.

He started to leave, but then turned around and added quietly.

Dickie- if anyone asks you, you saw your gynecologist last week.

Mac opened her eyes very wide and, pointing at the door, she yelled…

Mac- Get out!

PRESENT TIME. 20:00 HS. Inside The TV set of "The George Francis's Show".

Kelly, Vince, Jim and Horace are in the set of "The George Francis's show", they sit behind the camera looking happily at the interview Mac was giving at that moment. Like 20 Secret Service's Agents are also in the set watching carefully around. Just at that moment, Dickie entered and quietly took a sit in the audience, next to Horace. He spoke to him whispering…

Dickie- hi Horace… I didn't know you were coming…

Horace- and I didn't know my mom has a Secret Plan to prevent HIV…

Dickie rolled his eyes. Wondering how long people will continue remembering that.

Dickie- Tell me… how is the interview going?

Horace- excellent… why are you so late? It's about to finish…

Dickie- I had to give a group of high school students a lecture about working in the White House…

Horace- and how did it go?

Dickie- very well… they loved me…

Horace whispered sarcastically.

Horace- who doesn't?

Dickie ignored the sarcasm and then asked Jim…

Dickie- Where is The First Gentleman?

Jim- he couldn't come… he had a lot to in the house… why?

Dickie- Rod is really mad at me and I just wanted to apologize to him one more time…

As an answer, Jim whispered in Dickie's ear.

Jim- welcome to the club… we got jackets made.

They stopped talking and continued watching Mac's interview that was going very well.

**Outside the TV set. 20:15 HS. **

The head of the Secret Service, Daniel Carter, was outside the TV set. He was looking carefully at the huge crowd who was waiting for the President to walk out the building. He looked right past a very creepy looking young guy, who was looking right at him. Then, an agent who was inside the TV Set, talked him through his wrist mike.

Agent's Voice in the wrist mike- the Interview is over. "Liberty" is leaving the building.

"Liberty" was The President's code name. Carter got very worried and replied into his wrist mike.

Agent Carter- but she's NOT greeting the crowd. We'll take her straight to the car.

Mac got out the building and started walking down to the limo. Kelly, Dickie, Jim, Vince and Horace were walking far behind her. Agent Carter approached Mac and started walking right next to her. Horace was being covered by Special Agent Powers. Mac, feeling really happy, kept walking towards the limo while waving at the crowd.

In an office building, next to the TV studio, two young men were loading ammunition.

Suddenly, Agent Carter noticed that the creepy looking boy was staring at the office building. He got really concerned and desperately looked at the office building but didn't see anything.

Out of the blue, the two men in the office building raised their guns and Agent Cater noticed them, but it was too late. Just as the first shot is about to go off, Agent Carter yells:

Agent Carter- GUN! EVERYBODY DOWN!

The two men shot to the crowd and in the street the chaos had already started.

Agent Powers knocked Horace to the ground close to the limo. Another female Secret Service Agent pulled Vince down and shielded him from the gunfire, yelling, "get down, get down!" meanwhile Agent Carter pulled Mackenzie back and down.

Other agents immediately fire up at the shooters while the crowd is running and screaming in horror.

A Secret Service Agent was holding down Jim and yelling: "STAY DOWN! Stay down!"

Dickie pulled Kelly down bringing them both to the ground just as a limo window shattered right in front of them.

Agent Carter dragged Mac and got her inside a limo.

The Secret Service snipers continued firing at the gunmen, who kept firing at the crowd until both drop death.

The screams of the crowd get mixed with some Secret Service Agents who yell desperately to their wrist mikes: "Oh, god, we've got people down. People down, people down! Who's been hit? Who's been hit?"

To be continued… 

So… Who has been hit? If you want to know the answer continued reading.

Please send me some reviews! I really love them!


	13. It happened so fast

Author's note: In the last chapter I said that Mac's code name was "Liberty", but last Monday I saw "Wind Beneath my winds" and I realized that her actual code name is "Victory". I sincerely apologize for my mistake and I'll correct it in this chapter. Now, enjoy Chapter 13. Here is where you find out who was hit. 

**CHAPTER 13: **

**It happened so fast.**

**In the zone of the attack. A few minutes after the assassination attempt. **

The shooting stooped but the place is still a real chaos. The zone was full of policemen, agents, and paramedics. All what Kelly could hear were sirens and scared people crying. Two doctors were attending her. She had her hand on her head. It really hurt her, but she wanted to be brave.

Kelly- I'm really fine. I just hit my head on the ground when somebody pulled me down.

The doctor nodded and continued his examination, and then asked…

Doctor- Are you Kelly Ludlow?

Kelly- Yeah!

Doctor- can you tell me what day it is?

Kelly- It's still August 22.

The doctor nodded again. After finishing checking Kelly and cleaning up a small cut she had in her forehead, he concluded that she was fine physically.

Doctor- Ok, Kelly, you're more shaken up than anything else, you have a small cut in your forehead but I don't think you're going to need stitches, I think you should find some place to lie down.

Kelly nodded. Her body was still shaking for the shock. As her eyes filled with tears she asked the question whose answer really terrified…

Kelly- Is the President dead?

The doctor had not idea. He looked at Kelly apologetically…

Doctor- I don't know… sorry.

The doctor left to see other injured people and Kelly walked around a police car noticing that its door glass was broken. Dickie approached to her from behind.

Dickie- Are you all right?

Kelly felt looked at him confused and overwhelmed.

Kelly- What?

Dickie- Are you ok?

Kelly- Yeah. How's the President? Was she hit?

Dickie was even more confused than Kelly about that.

Dickie- I really don't know… I didn't see her… everything happened so fast… are you ok?

At that moment, Kelly busted in tears. Dickie pulled her into a friendly embrace and Kelly cried a little while in his arms. She explained in sobs…

Kelly- I wasn't hit because somebody pulled me down.

It was then when she noticed that Dickie's right hand was bleeding.

Kelly- oh God… were you hit?

Dickie- no… a car's window shattered into little pieces and I got cut…

They saw Vince who came running toward them… He looked scared, but he wasn't hurt.

Vince- oh my God! Are you two ok?

They both nodded, and got very glad to see that Vince was all right.

Dickie- how is the President?

Vince- nobody here has any information about her…

Dickie- and Horace and Jim?

Vince- They weren't hit… I think the Secret Service is taking them to the White House.

**Meanwhile- Inside the Presidential limo. **

Several limousines were heading back to the White House pretty fast. President Mackenzie Allen and Special Agent Daniel Carter were inside one of them.

Agent Carter - Horace's secure. He wasn't hit ma'am.

Mac- Get him on the radio, please!

Mac was shaking and was having a difficult time to breath. The Agent assumed that was because of the shock. He explained as nicely as he could…

Agent Carter- Ma'am, he can't talk right now because he's vomiting in the car.

Mac- Why the hell?

Agent Carter- It happens, Ma'am, It could be shock.

Mac gasped for air. She was trembling, and with a lot of difficulty, said…

Mac- why is he vomiting?

Agent Carter- He might have got an elbow on the stomach when they pulled him down... The important thing is that he is secured, and two agents are taking him to the White House

Mac sighed a little relieved, and gasping for breath said...

Mac- Is anybody dead back there?

Agent Carter- We don't know, we don't think so.

It was then when Mac noticed Agent Carter's bloody hand that was wrapped with some bandage.

Mac- What happened to your hand!

Agent Carter- I got hit.

Mac gasped horrified, and then shouted at the driver…

Mac- turn around! We gotta go to the hospital.

Agent Carter- No! We got to get you to the White House.

Mac- We're going to the hospital! Let's go!

Agent Carter - I have to put you inside the White House, Ma'am. President. This isn't something we discuss. It's Secret Service protocol.

Mac shook her head… and still breathing with some difficulty, said, very ironically…

Mac- right… my son is throwing up on the floor in the car behind us. You're losing blood by the liter, not to mention how many broken bones you got in your hand, but we have to make sure that I'm tucked in bed before we do anything...

Mac stooped talking and gasped in pain. Then Agent Carter saw, shocked and horrified, how there was blood suddenly coming out of the President's mouth.

Agent Carter- Ma'am. President?

He quickly started checking Mac, searching for a possible injury. And then he felt it… blood in Mackenzie's back. She had a wound in her back. Mentally cursing himself for not noticing it before, Agent Carter yelled at the driver…

Agent Carter- Let's go to the George Washington hospital… NOW!

The limousine made a quick 180-degree turn and started heading to the hospital.

**Right after the shooting…. In a very fancy restaurant.**

Nathan Templeton and his wife, Sarah, were having dinner in a restaurant and they hadn't heard anything about the shooting yet. They were simply enjoying of a lovely evening. Nathan felt at top of the world because he could use Mac's "war against the Catholic church" for personal gain. Besides, he was also happy because his opponent had lost her runny buddy.

Nathan- do you realize that she handed herself to me in a plate? I didn't have to do anything…

Sarah- but darling… Are you aware that she actually didn't declare war to the Catholic Church?

Nathan nodded and smiled at his wife.

Nathan- yes… but the Catholic voters don't need to know that…

Suddenly, and completely out of the blue, Several Secret Service Agents came storming inside the restaurant. Templeton got really worried because he guessed what that meant. Everybody else was simply stunned. All the people in the restaurant froze. An agent said…

AGENT- Excuse me! Everyone stay where you are! Mr. Speaker, would you come with us please?

The agents surrounded Templeton and escorted him outside. He knew perfectly well that, if something happened to the President, the Secret Service was suppose to secure immediately the next person in the presidential succession line. Nathan suddenly became pale; if the Agents had come to get him like that it was because something bad had happened to Mackenzie.

**Inside the George Washington Hospital's Emergency Room. **

It was a quiet night in the hospital lobby. The phone rang and a nurse went to answer the white phone that was in the reception. But then she realized that the ringing phone was a red one that was attached to the wall. So, knowing what that meant, she answered the red phone.

Nurse- Station One.

Agent Carter's voice in the phone- We are coming in!

Nurse- I copy that. Is this a drill?

Agent Carter's voice in the phone- NO!

The Agent sounded terrified, but the nurse was still very incredulous.

Nurse- The thing is I have a few patients and we're expecting more in a bit, so if this is a drill…

Suddenly the sirens got a lot louder. The nurse looked to the entranceway where several cars and ambulances had already arrived. She hung up the red phone and picked up the local one.

Nurse- Trauma One. Trauma One, Blue! Blue! Trauma One, Blue! Go!

Nurses and doctors around her started to get busy. Several Secret Service Agents entered and started moving the civilians who were in the E.R. to clean up the room. One agent announced…

Agent- "Victory" is two minutes away!

Exactly two minutes later… a bunch of nurses and paramedics hurriedly pushed a gurney carrying President Mackenzie Allen. She had blood on the side of her shirt and she groaning and trying to catch her breath. Agent Carter was following them close.

Nurse- She was shot in right side of her back between the 5 and 6 rib. There's only an entry wound.

A doctor who was checking Mac, called Doctor Kovach, tried to talk to her.

Dr. Kovach- Ma'am. President, I'm Dr. Kovach. I'm the trauma surgeon on duty. We need to take you up to surgery as soon as possible… we need to take that bullet out of you.

Mac used all her strengths to say…

Mac- I swear to God if I don't see my son in the next five minutes, I'm gonna attack someone.

Agent Carter- he's on his way.

Mac was taken to a trauma room. She pointed at Agent Daniel Carter.

Mac- He was shot in the hand, by the way. If somebody wants to give him an aspirin or something...

The gurney stopped and the nurses and doctors hurriedly started preparing things for the treatment.

Dr. Kovach- Okay, Ma'am, we're just gonna get you stabilized before surgery.

Mac- Listen, I want you to wait as long as you can before you take my to surgery. I need to speak to Jim Gardner and with my husband before anything else is done. It's VERY important.

At that moment, Horace walks inside the trauma room and saw his mother in pain. A look of fear was in his face while he said weakly…

Horace- mom? Mommy!

Mac- I'm okay.

That was obviously Mackenzie's pride talking. Horace held back his tears and asked softly...

Horace- Are you… are you in a lot of pain?

Mac- No. Not really.

Horace- Are you lying?

Mac- Yeah. I want the nurses to tell reporters that I was brave and very strong.

Horace- You ARE brave, Mom. And you are the strongest woman I know…

Mac sighed, her body ached so much, but she was very happy to see her baby.

Mac- Honey, I'm so happy to see you.

Horace gave a hug trying carefully not to disturb the medical equipment.

Horace- Dad, the girls and grandma are on their way.

Mac- oh… Dad will be pretty pissed.

All of a sudden, Jim came storming in the trauma room; a troubling look appeared in his face while he looked at Mac. He noticed Horace beside him.

Jim- How you doing, kid?

Horace- I'm fine.

Mac needed to tell something important to Jim, alone, so she asked Horace…

Mac- Honey, I need you to step outside and wait for daddy. I'll see you after the surgery.

Horace- ok. I love you, mom.

Mac- I love you too, Baby.

Horace left the room and Jim walked closer to Mac.

Mac- Anybody killed back there?

Jim- Just the two shooters ma'am. The Secret Service got them through the window.

Mac- Anybody in the crowd?

Jim- There were some people injured. They're coming right now.

Mac- What about our people?

Jim- Kelly hit her head on the ground, and Dickie cut his hand, but that's it...

Mac felt the pain inside her increasing more and more…. She had an oxygen mask but she felt like she was running out of air… She still had to give Jim some instructions…

Mac- Jim… Get the cabinet together and the Security Council. They'll take us to DEFCOM 4.

Jim- Yes, Ma'am.

Mac- and I need to see Rod right now… I'm running out of time…

Jim got really scared when Mac said that she was running out of time… He simply said…

Jim- he is on his way…

Mac- good. And Jim… Come here.

She motioned for Jim to come closer. He leaned his head near her and Mac, like looking for comfort in a good friend, kissed him on the cheek. That scared Jim more because it meant that Mac was saying goodbye before the worst happens. He simply said…

Jim- I'll see you when you wake up after surgery, Ma'am President.

Mac sighed as Jim exited the room. When Jim left the trauma room, he saw Kelly, Horace and Vince waiting for news in the emergency room. Jim gave Vince a sympathetic look and gave him a manly but heartfelt hug…

Jim- I'm glad to see you are ok…

Vince- right back at ya…

Jim noticed that Kelly was crying, so he hugged her tight. Noticing also a scratch in her neck.

Jim- it's ok, Kelly… hey… what happened to your neck?

Kelly- I… I lost my necklace… but I'm fine… somebody pulled my down...

Jim- sounds like you own somebody a big present… where is Dickie?

Kelly- getting stitches…

She was about to ask how Mac was, but suddenly, a very nervous Rod stormed inside the hospital practically running. He saw Horace and immediately hugged him tightly.

Rod- thank God you are ok…

Horace- yeah… I'm fine… but mom is not …

Rod nodded, and interrupted her son said…

Rod- I know… but she will be ok. I know your mother. She will be fine.

Rod had already been told everything about Mackenzie's condition and he was terrified, but he didn't want his son to know that. He saw Doctor Kovach coming close to him.

Dr. Kovach- hello Mr. Calloway… I'm Dr. Kovach.

Rod. Oh… yes. We spoke on the phone while I was coming… how is she?

Dr. Kovach- we need to take her to surgery immediately, sir…

Rod- And why don't you?

Dr. Kovach - She DEMANDS to see you first. She even threatened us so we do what she said…

Rod smiled weakly and nodded, that sounded like his wife. He immediately went to the trauma room where they had his wife. He entered fast, but stopped and gasped horrified when he saw Mac. She looked very pale and weak and she was groaning in pain. Mac saw him and sighed...

Mac- Rod… you came.

Rod came closer to her and took her hand then kissed her forehead. He hated seeing her like this.

Rod- they have to take you to surgery honey…

Mac nodded. Tears started to come to her eyes. She was afraid that if she went to surgery she might never wake up from it.

Mac- yes… but I had to see you first…

Rod- oh, honey…

Mac- I told them that I wanted to see you and they shouldn't go against the last wishes of a dieing President…

Mac didn't add that she had experience in going against a dieing President's last wish and that wasn't fun, but she thought that. Rod shook his head stubbornly…

Rod- you won't die… you will be fine…

Mac- liar…

Rod wasn't able to hold back his tears anymore. Mac motioned for him to come closer and then kissed him on the lips, knowing that it could be the last time. After that, a very worried nurse checked her and said….

Nurse- ma'am President… we can't wait any longer…

She squeezed Rod's hand, with terrified look, and looked at his eyes…

Mac- Rod…

Rod squeezed her hand and nodded solemnly in support… Mac said then…

Mac- ok… I'm ready now. I love you, Rod…

Rod assumed she meant, "Ready for surgery". Before he could say: "I love you too", very strong sound, a very loud "BIP", came from the machine that was connected to Mac's body. Rod saw in horror that Mac fainted and the doctors and nurses were frenetically working on her…

Doctor Kovach- ok… clear!

The doctor put two paddles in Mac's chest and gave her electroshock. Rod gasped, and then a nurse forced him out of the room.

Nurse- Mr. Calloway, we need you to wait outside…

Rod couldn't even react. He couldn't believe what was happening. The last thing he heard before the nurse practically dragged him to the waiting area was Doctor Kovach yelling desperately…

Doctor Kovach- we are loosing her!

White House. In the West Wing. An hour later… 

Jim was about to enter in the Situation Room. But Nathan Templeton stopped him.

Nathan- Jim, before we go in there I need to know the truth… how is our girl?

Nathan was deeply concern. Jim shook his head sadly and said…

Jim- she is not very good… she cashed down an hour ago, they managed to get her stable again, and now she is in surgery… the bullet is located in her right lung…

Nathan gasped and putted his hand in his mouth.

Nathan- oh Dear Lord…

They finally enter in the situation room that was full of busy military men. They all stood up as soon as they saw Nathan.

Nathan- at ease…

While Nathan said those words and everybody sit down it really hit him… he was in charge now. However, he felt like crap. It wasn't supposed to go like this… he didn't want the power in these circumstances. He quickly decided to leave Mac's chair empty and took a sit where the Vice President would. Nathan asked the National Security advisor, Anthony Prado.

Nathan- Tony, tell me… these shooters, they didn't have a wallet with an ID. on them?

He already knew the answer, it was pretty obvious, but it didn't hurt asking… just in case. Anthony Prado answered…

Anthony- They didn't have anything on them, Mr. Speaker. They knew we were going to get them through the window.

Jim- sir, even when the two shooters are dead… Special Agent Carter said that there was a third guy… somebody who gave the shooters a signal from the ground. They are looking for him…

Nathan nodded very overwhelmed. Then Anthony Prado said…

Anthony- Mr. Speaker, we have a different problem… according to these pictures North Korea is beginning to have an unusual military activity… as you can see, they are moving their troupes closer to our bases in South Korea. They know what happened and want to take advantage of the fact that we are facing a leadership crisis.

Nathan couldn't believe. Like they didn't have enough problems!

Nathan- I can't deal with this right now, let's way 24 hours to see what happens with The President before we handle North Korea.

Anthony- I understand, but, Sir, we may no have 24 hours…

Nathan was really upset. He wanted nothing more than crash the North Koreans with the entire USA army. But it wasn't the right time.

Nathan- North Korea's troupes can't find their car keys in 24 hours!

Anthony- Look at the pictures, Mr. Speaker. I think they've found them.

Nathan paused for several seconds. Everybody looked at him expectantly… he simply said…

Nathan- Jim, what's the best way to get a message to North Korea?

Jim- Their representative in the U.N.

Nathan- All right them. Call him and give him a message…

Jim- What do you want the message to be?

Nathan paused for a moment, and then, he said firmly:

Nathan- "Don't mess with us tonight."

He got up, so did everybody else. Before leaving the sit room, he turned around and said…

Nathan- Tony, I swear, If this signal guy isn't in custody in one hour, North Korea will be the least of your problems.

**At that same moment. Inside the pressroom. **

Kelly had left the hospital and gone to the White House to do an emergency briefing. The President being shot was the most exiting thing that had happened in years and reporters were desperate for information. Kelly was in podium, she looked puzzle and a little dazed, like she was still in shock.

The entire press corps was frenetically yelling her name… eventually she said…

Kelly- yes Jill?

Jill- When can we talk to the medical team?

Kelly - Dr. Kovach, the head surgeon, and the President's personal physician, will inform you after the surgery.

The reporters started yelling Kelly's name again.

Kelly- Charlie… ?

Charlie- Has there been any discussion of the 25th amendment?

Kelly- No.

The reporters yelled Kelly's name again, but Charlie talked over the others…

Charlie- and why not?

Kelly, feeling and looking lost, simply said…

Kelly- What?

Charlie- Why hasn't there been any discussion of the 25th amendment?

Kelly- I don't know. I'll have to cover that in a later briefing.

Jill yelled another question…

Jill- Do you have anything on the identity of the shooters?

Kelly.- I'm sorry?

Jill- Do you have anything on the identity of the shooters?

Kelly- No.

Some of the reporters were getting very annoyed because they couldn't get the information they needed. The reporter called Steve asked…

Steve- Kelly, Are you aware that the Associated Press has been saying that two bodies were brought out of the building? And that they are also saying that there is a massive manhunt underway for a suspected third accomplice?

Kelly shook her head firmly…

Kelly- I don't have anything for you on that.

Other reporters started yelling Kelly's name, but Steve talked over them…

Steve- Why does the AP know more than you do?

Kelly- The AP doesn't know more than I do; they are just willing to tell you more.

One more time, reporters were raising hands and yelling Kelly's name. She had ran out of patience, she wanted to much to yell "give me a break!" instead she yelled…

Kelly- I'll take just one more question!

Jill jumped in again, asking…

Jill- In previous administrations the President entered and exited buildings under a tent or canopy, Can you tell me why these precautions weren't taken for President Allen or at least why not tonight?

At least Kelly knew exactly what she had to say about that…

Kelly- it's policy not to comment on security procedures.

Jill became very irritated and said…

Jill- Well, if you can't answer the most straightforward questions then what can you tell us?

Kelly felt lost again. She had her hand on her neck and looked dazed. Then she shook her head and said…

Kelly- I'm sorry?

Jill- Kelly, What do you know? What CAN you tell us?

Kelly- There'll be another briefing in an hour and a half. Hopefully we'll know more then.

The reporters groaned as she announced this, and some tried calling her. Kelly simply left the pressroom and started walking to her office. When she got to her office, she noticed that Charlie had followed her… He called her attention touching her shoulder.

Charlie- Kelly?

Kelly- What?

She turned around and saw Charlie, looking a bit guilty for bothering her.

Charlie- I'm sorry, I don't want to be a pain in the ass but you HAVE to answer my question.

Kelly looked at him very confused and wishing he would just go away.

Kelly- what was the question?

Charlie- The President is in a very critical condition Kelly, and we don't have a Vice President… is important for the people to know: if the 25th amendment wasn't discussed, then who is in charge?

Kelly, very mechanically, started saying what Jim had told her…

Kelly- in the sit room we have The Speaker of the House, the Secretary of State, the National Security Advisor, the Secretary of Defense, and the White House Chief of Staff.

That answer wasn't good enough for Charlie. He protested saying…

Charlie- You just listed FIVE people, Kelly! WHO is in charge?

Kelly didn't have any more patience.

Kelly- The Canadians, Charlie.

To Charlie, that joke wasn't funny at all; Kelly ignored his mad glare and added….

Kelly- and I'm talking about the hockey team.

Charlie- Look, this is very serious matter…

Kelly knew that. She interrupted Charlie, saying with a begging tone…

Kelly- Just... give me a little time.

Charlie, taking pity on Kelly, nodded and finally left her alone.

**A couple of hours later. George Washington Hospital. **

Kelly, Vince, Dickie and Jim were back in the Hospital. Mac hadn't gotten out of surgery yet. They were in the waiting room. So were Kate, Horace, Becca and Amy. Jim asked Kate politely…

Jim- excuse me, Mrs. Allen… I'll get some coffee for everybody. Can I get you anything?

Kate had her eyes red because she had been crying a lot. She shook her head…

Kate- no… thanks… I don't want anything…

Jim understood and got up, Kelly decided to go and get coffee with him… They were walking towards the coffee machine and asked….

Kelly- where is Rod?

Jim- I bet he is hiding somewhere; he is very scared and doesn't want people to see him like that.

Kelly nodded guessing that Jim was right. Then she asked…

Kelly- Jim, who is in charge?

Jim- what?

Kelly- I mean, a reporter asked me that question, but I wasn't sure…. Is Templeton in charge now?

Jim- not exactly…

Kelly was confused. Jim saw her confusion, so he explained…

Jim- according to the 25th amendment, yes, Templeton is next in line to succeed The President because we don't have a VP. But the 25th only enters in the picture if the President dies…

Kelly- but isn't he Acting President until President Allen wakes up?

Jim shook his head exhausted. And simply said…

Jim- she never signed the letter…

Kelly- she was supposed to sign a letter handing Templeton temporally the power?

Jim- yes… but there was no time…. Besides, for Templeton to be officially Acting President, he would have to resign as Speaker of the House…

Now Kelly understood. Then, they were back to the waiting room. Everybody in there could do anything but wait, hope and pray. Kelly took a glance at the TV in the waiting room that was turned on… there was a reporter talking about what happened.

Reporter- Press Secretary Kelly Ludlow appeared at her briefings to be very shaken and wouldn't give much information. Right now, it's unknown whether the President before going under anesthesia signed a letter that would make Nathan Templeton Acting President. All we know is that the President is in her third hour of surgery. She remains in critical condition while the doctors are battling to save her life. In the gates of the George Washington Hospital and right outside the White House, several thousand people are gathered behind police barricades. This is a very spontaneous vigil, with prayers being made... _and collective breath being held._ The question in everybody's heads right now is… Will The United States of America face the death of its first female President?

**To be continued…. **

So… what's the answer to that final question? You'll see it in the next chapter….

PLEASE… tell me what you think! PLEASE! I need reviews… they make my day. That reminds me: Thanks so much to the people who reviewed! I love you guys!


	14. Like at the end of a very long day

**Chapter 14: ** **Like at the end of a very long day. **

**8:30 in the morning. White House's pressroom. **

Kelly was doing another briefing. She had done eight briefings since the shooting, which had been 12 hours ago. She didn't look so lost anymore; she just looked worried and very tired.

Kelly- We're confirming now that a suspect is in custody, and is being questioned by federal law enforcement. The Secret Service is sure that this person was working with the shooters and gave them the signal but, at this time, we are not releasing any other information whatsoever about the suspect.

Reporters started calling her name frenetically. She pointed at Charlie, who asked a question…

Charlie- Can you tell us anything, Kelly? His name, where he's from, his ethnicity, if you guys suspect a motive?

Kelly rolled her eyes, and then she said sarcastically…

Kelly- Yes, Charlie, I can tell you all those things, because when I said that we weren't releasing any other information whatsoever, I meant except than his name, his address, his ethnicity, and what we think his motives were.

The reporters clamored for Kelly. This time she pointed at Jill, who asked very concerned…

Jill- what can you tell us about the President's current condition?

Kelly became very serious all the sudden. She looked at the cameras and said…

Kelly- President Mackenzie Allen is on her twelfth hour of surgery. Doctor Kovach is still performing an operation to repair her collapsed lung, and remove a bullet that remains lodged in her thoracic region. We will know more about that in a couple of hours.

**Meanwhile. George Washington Hospital. **

Rod, Kate and the twins were in the private waiting room. Amy had been taken back to the White House, against her will. Rod was holding Becca, who had fallen in a restless sleep when the entire night she spent without sleeping finally kicked her. Kate was just staring blankly at the space, lost in her own thoughts. Horace was nervously taking his cup of coffee number ten and he was struggling to stay awake. Tim was there too, showing his support and trying to comfort the others the best he could. Suddenly, they noticed Special Agent Daniel Carter walking towards them. Rod stood up immediately, knowing that Carter had probably important news and Becca woke up.

Agent Carter- Mr. Calloway, we have the guy who gave the signal…

Rod looked at the Agent with a poker face and simply asked…

Rod- Alive?

Is the guy was dead that would be just as good to Rod, but he knew that there would be more use in having the signal guy alive.

Agent Carter- He is alive, sir. He surrendered peacefully when the agents found him and arrested him. His name is Julian Vassier, he is 25 years old… and according to our investigation, he and the two shooters were cousins. The three of them had been planning the attack since Horace's sexual orientation became public.

They all took a few seconds to absorb that information. Horace was outraged and confused.

Horace- are you saying that three guys tried to kill the President of the United States because her son is gay?

Horace was shocked and Tim couldn't believe it either. A horrible sense of guilt overtook the two young boys. Agent Carter looked at Horace suddenly feeling sorry for him, because the First son was about to take another punch. The agent shook his head and explained as gently as he could…

Agent Carter- No. Horace, according to the guy's statement, President Allen wasn't the target.

A horrible realization hit everybody, including Horace, but he couldn't accept it… 

Horace- I don't understand… what do you mean? Who was the target?

Agent Carter- The two gunmen and Julian Vassier were the ones who sent you the death threats. They wanted to kill you.

Horace's eyes filled with tears. Agent Carter simply apologized and left, knowing that the family surely wanted to be alone. Horace looked at everybody in shock…

Horace- oh my God… this is all my fault….

That broke Kate's heart. She went quickly to hug her grandson like Mac would.

Kate- don't say that!

Horace- is the truth… because of me mom got shot… it doesn't matter what you say grandma, if she dies it will be my fault…

Rod couldn't stand it anymore. Surprising everybody, he yelled…

Rod- Stop it! It was my fault… MINE… I should have been there instead of staying in the house … I should've been in the shooting… I should have been there to protect her… I failed her….

Becca exploded in tears while she heard her father saying that. Kate tried to stay strong even when she was also falling apart. She held Horace while he cried and then she tried to find the right words to comfort him and his father…

Kate- you both should stop it. Nobody blames any of you for this. It wasn't your fault, and when Mac wakes up I'm sure she will tell you the same thing. She will probably tell you that this was probably meant to happen for a reason… that God works in mysterious ways…

Horace pushed his grandma away feeling very angry.

Horace- well… God sucks!

They all looked at him shocked. Horace started defending himself from the glares.

Horace- Seriously, He sucks! What have we ever done to him? Mom did nothing to deserve this, and I will never forgive Him if she dies…

Saying that, he ran away followed by a worried Tim. Rod stated to follow them as well but Kate stopped him gently.

Kate- don't go… he needs some time alone…

Rod looked at his mother in law amazed, that woman was really wonderful. Rod could totally tell where Mac's strength and greatness came from. Kate was devastated but she had managed to keep calm and to be helpful for others. Rod, on the other hand, was a total mess and had failed completely while handling the situation. He looked at everybody desperately, feeling completely defeated and hopeless, not knowing what to do. He felt tears coming to his eyes so he decided to leave that room before anyone could see him cry.

Rod walked numbly around the hospital. Without realizing it, he ended up in the door of the hospital's little chapel. When he noticed where he was, he decided to do what Mac would… He opened the door and entered to say a prayer.

Rod wasn't really comfortable when he took a sit in the chapel's bench and put his hands together to pray. Usually, Mac was the more religious one. However, he had something really important to ask God…

Rod- If you don't mind Lord, I need to ask you something. I know you are bottomless and infinite and the problems of individual souls are quite beyond your purview but...try to see it from my side. When I pray to you, I am fair. I don't ask for personal favors or intervention. I only ask you the strength to do the right thing on my own, or the wisdom to make good choices. I never ask you for anything for myself. Well, I will do it today. I'll ask you: don't take Mac with you. What I want is my wife back. What I'm asking you, God, is: FIX THIS. Make her better. I offer you no promises or trades in return. I'm just asking you to cure Mac. Go ahead, cast stones at me for my insolence... But fix this.

Tears where now running freely through Rod's cheeks. Then, a Secret Service Agent entered shyly in the chapel and called Rod's attention by touching his shoulder. Rod looked at him, wondering what the agent wanted…

Rod- yes?

Agent- sir, The President is now out of surgery…

**A few minutes later. In the White House, at the West Wing. **

Kelly entered shyly in Jim Gardner's office. Jim and Dickie were simply working.

Kelly- I'm sorry Jim… I was wondering… is there any news?

Jim nodded. His expression was unreadable.

Jim- Yes. The President is out of surgery. They removed the bullet and repaired the lung… however, she is still unconscious and she is not breathing on her own yet…

Kelly nodded sympathetically. Then Jim gave her more medical details that Kelly wrote down to inform the Press in the next briefing. After talking about that, Kelly was about to leave, but when she was at the door of Jim's office, she turned around and said…

Kelly- By the way, they're still asking about the tent.

Jim nodded. He had guessed that.

Jim- Yeah.

Kelly- I'd be more comfortable with the "no comment" coming from the Secret Service, though...

Dickie looked at both of them confused.

Dickie- what are you talking about?

Kelly- The Press wants to know why the President exited the building in the open air.

Jim- just keep telling that we can't comment on that… which is the truth… they'll let it go…

Kelly- ok…

Dickie looked at Jim with a questioning look.

Dickie- and why did she exited the building without…?

Jim cut him off.

Jim- she just refused to use a tent… she considered it excessive…

Dickie- we can't tell the press that… It will make her look arrogant…

Kelly- we can't comment on Secret Service procedures anyway…

With that, the meeting was over. Kelly and Dickie exited Jim's office and they started walking together towards Dickie's office. Dickie gave Kelly a questioning look…

Dickie- Are you ok? How is your head?

Kelly, instinctively, put her hand in the part of his head that was hit on the ground and just said…

Kelly- it's fine. Look, Dickie, I wanted to ask you something… 

Dickie gave her a questioning look.

Dickie- ok, tell me….

Kelly- you didn't happen to notice, when the shooting started, you didn't see who pulled me to the ground, did you?

Dickie was really uncomfortable. Apparently, Kelly had been so shocked during the shooting that she didn't even noticed who pulled her down and he didn't want to say that it had been him. He shook his head and lied.

Dickie- No. I didn't see anything…

Kelly- they pulled me down behind the police car, my necklace came off and then the window of the police car shattered

Dickie- I'm sorry… I didn't see that.

Kelly- ok… Thanks anyway….

Kelly didn't notice how uncomfortable Dickie was. She simply started to walk away, but then she turned around and said….

Kelly- Dickie, were you scared?

Dickie froze for a moment. Then he nodded solemnly.

Dickie- yes.

Kelly- me too…

At that moment, Kelly's secretary, Laurie, interrupted them…

Laurie- excuse me… Kelly.

Kelly- yes?

Laurie- You need to call back James Robinson.

Kelly- Why?

Laurie- We said you might let him interview you in his show this afternoon.

Kelly was very upset now…

Kelly- but Laurie, that's not true… I'm not doing any interviews. I don't want to.

Laurie was very uncomfortable now. She started explaining her self…

Laurie- oh… I'm sorry. Jim Gardner said it was a good idea for the White House to start climbing out from behind the bushes. He said that you will probably be ok with it…

Kelly- well… I'm not. I think it's inappropriate while The President is still unconscious…

Dickie stepped up, saying shyly.

Dickie- I agree with Jim. It doesn't look good that the White House keeps on hiding… it doesn't help to control the crisis… THIS White House has to face the public other than in your briefings.

Kelly- I can't do it Dickie…

He saw how worried and scared Kelly was… so he simply said…

Dickie- I'll do it for you.

**Meanwhile. George Washington's hospital. **

Rod entered with fear in Mac's bedroom hospital. He wasn't sure what to expect. He walked in and saw Mac that was still unconscious in the bed with a tube helping her to breathe. She looked terribly pale. Kate was in a chair next to the bed holding her daughter hand. Rod took a sit in a chair next to his mother in law. She was talking to Mac, without getting an answer…

Kate- Can you hear me Mac? I guess you can't… Well, I'll talk to you anyway. Please honey; you have to wake up soon… we are all worried sick about you. Please Mac, wake up, everybody needs you. You are strong; you already survived the surgery, please… just wake up now…

Then Kate noticed Rod's presence. For the first time since she found out about the shooting, Kate really looked at Rod paying carefully attention to him…. He was pale, his eyes were red, his hair was messed up and he had shadows and bags under his eyes. She looked at Mac again and said...

Kate- did you know that Mac was born two months before my due date?

Rod understood that Kate was looking at Mac, but was talking to him…

Rod- oh… really? She never told me…

Kate- I guess she doesn't like talking about it… but it's true… it was August the 14th. It the end of the seventh month of my pregnancy… I felt a contraction and went to the doctor. At first they told me it was false alarm. I remember the doctor telling me: "Don't worry ma'am… this baby won't be born until October". But you know Mackenzie; she wasn't going to let anyone tell her when to be born, so… as soon as the doctor finished saying that, my water broke and they had to take me to the delivery room. She was SO small and fragile, and the birth was really complicated… the doctor said she wouldn't live a week… but she fought and she lived. Thanks God she lived. That baby girl who had no chance became this amazing woman we both know and love….

Kate's eyes filled with tears… Rod held Kate and said…

Rod- She is fighting again Kate, and she will win again. She already survived the worst part. Pretty soon she will wake up and we will have her back at home again. She will go back home and, like at the end of a really bad and long day, she will eat your cookies and she will be able to put this horrible nightmare behind her…

Kate smiled weakly, hoping with all her heart that Rod was right.

**Very late that night. In Dickie's Office.**

Kelly knocked the door and then entered in Dickie's Office. Then she simply requested…

Kelly- May I have a word with you, Richard?

Dickie panicked. He had not idea what was it about, but it had to be bad if Kelly called him Richard.

Dickie- Oh, God, what did I do now?

Kelly giggled, clearly enjoying scaring Dickie, she didn't get to do that often.

Kelly – Nothing. I just wanted to say that you did well this afternoon in that show.

Dickie smiled. Glad that Kelly had watched that interview they did to him.

Dickie- Thanks.

It was obvious that Kelly wanted to say something else. She hesitated for a second before adding...

Kelly- Dickie… I said that the reason I didn't want to do the interview was that it didn't feel right with The President still unconscious.

Dickie- Yeah. I remember.

Kelly- You know what the real reason was?

Dickie looked Kelly very confused.

Dickie- The real reason?

Kelly- Yeah.

Dickie- No. I don't know.

Kelly gave a look that indicated clearly that she didn't believe him.

Kelly- I think you do.

Dickie knew where the conversation was heading.

Dickie- Listen, Kelly...

Kelly didn't let him finish. She started explaining herself.

Kelly- The real reason I couldn't go to that show and give a first-hand account of what happened is that I couldn't remember what happened. I remember walking out of the building, I remember somebody knocked me down, I know my necklace came off, and I know a police car window exploded over my head. But that's it. I've been doing my press briefings using notes from other people's accounts. But after listening to you in that show, I know exactly what happened

Dickie was a bit uncomfortable… he began his own explanation…

Dickie- look. Kelly...

Kelly cut him off, and said very seriously…

Kelly- Dickie, I think you have my necklace.

He searched in his pockets for the necklace and handed it to her. Then they smiled sweetly at each other. Kelly finally asked…

Kelly- why didn't you tell me that you were the one who pushed me down?

Dickie- I didn't want you to feel beholden to me.

Kelly- what do you mean?

Dickie said teasingly…

Dickie- you know… I didn't want it to be like an episode of "I Dream of Jeannie" where now you have to save my life and follow me around with coconut oil and hot towels.

Kelly laughed at that saying…

Kelly- Coconut oil?

Dickie raised his arms defensibly…

Dickie- I'm just saying.

Kelly got serious and said…

Kelly- I don't feel beholden to you.

Dickie pretended to be very offended.

Dickie- why not? I saved your life.

Kelly smiled and looked at him in the eyes, then he got closer to her to give her a hug…

Kelly- thank you…

Right before Dickie could hug her… Kelly really surprised him and kissed him passionately on the mouth. Dickie kissed her back and things started to get really hot, and they were about to make love right there in Dickie's office, but then he pulled away confused…

Dickie- Kelly…. Wait… I didn't save your life because I wanted to have sex with you…

Kelly looked at his eyes, and said very frankly…

Kelly- and I don't want to have sex with you because you saved my life…

They melted again in a very passionate kiss.

**Meanwhile. George Washington Hospital. Mac's hospital room. **

Very long hours passed, Mac was still unconscious and she still couldn't breath of her own. Now, Becca was in the room. She was sit in a chair next to Mac's bed and had requested a few minutes alone with her mother. She stared worriedly at Mac, who looked like she was deeply sleeping, only that she was completely still. Becca took gently, and carefully, her mother's hand. All the medical equipment, and the fact that her mother's skin looked almost white, terrified Becca.

Becca- mom… it's me, Becca. I don't know if you can hear me, but I needed to tell you how much we all need you to wake up. Please…. wake up and get well. Dad and Horace are a real mess right now. I guess men are actually very weak. Horace doesn't even dare to come here, he blames himself… he thinks that you will hate him when he wakes up, but I know that you could never hate him. You were actually the one who supported him the most. I suspected that Horace was gay a long time before he came out, and I knew that you would support him completely… because that's what you do. You always support up. You always say that we can be whatever we want to be… what you didn't know is that all I've ever wanted to be it's you.

At that moment Becca started crying again. Rod entered in the room and comforted his daughter.

Becca- daddy… Why isn't she awake yet? they said the operation went fine… Is she really going to wake up?

Rod- of course, Honey. It just takes time… but she will come back to us. Soon… I promise you… pretty soon things will be normal again… she will be fine and we will all be able to relax like at the end of a long day.

Becca smiled imagining how it will be like when her mother comes back to them.

Becca- when things go back to normal, grandma will make cookies, mom will eat them, then she will read Amy a bedtime story, and the next morning we will all have breakfast together and chat like we usually do in the mornings…

Rod smiled remembering how things were in his family once things went back to normal after a bad situation. He wanted more than anything to reach the "cookie moment" soon. Becca noticed even when Mac was the one who received the shot, Rod was in a terrible state too. It really hurt her mother like that, but looking at his father now was just as painful. Taking pity of him, Becca said…

Becca- dad… you haven't slept at all in 24 hours…

Rod- I'm ok, Becca…

Becca shook her head, not believing that at all.

Becca- let me, at least, get you another cup of coffee…

Rod- that will actually help me a lot, thanks…

Becca stood up and left. Rod looked at his wife again. It hurt so much seeing her like that… so pale, so still… with all those machines connected to her body. Rod thought about those nights when he couldn't stop staring at Mac while she was sleeping, He could spend all night watching her sleep. That thought made him wonder if Mac was dreaming right now, he wondered if she was seeing him or the kids in her sleep. He also couldn't help thinking that she still looked more beautiful than any other woman in the planet. She was beautiful… and she knew it. Right?. Had he said that enough to her? Had he said: "I love you" enough?

Rod- Mac, I love you… I really do… and I know that you had your doubts about that recently… oh, honey, the time we were apart was horrible to me. I know that I was the one who left, and that I was very angry with you for reasons that now seem so trivial, but I learned a very important lesson: I suck when I'm not with you. I'm just a pathetic mess if you are not with me… and I was so unbelievable glad when we got back together after your birthday party… honey, I know all the doubts you had, but you have to believe me: I treasure every moment you gave me in the past 20 years… I never, ever, regretted marrying you. You are the best choice I've ever made…

Rod's eyes started filling with tears again. After wiping them, he put his chair even closer to Mac's bed. He leaned towards her and kissed her forehead. Then he saw something really strange: Mac wrinkled her eyes. It looked like she was trying to open them, but couldn't. Rod couldn't believe it… was it true? Was she really waking up? Or were the hours in vigil making him see just what he wanted to see? Mac suddenly stopped the wrinkling. She was still again. Rod yelled at the Secret Service agent who was guarding the door…

Rod- Go get Doctor Kovach now!

In a matter of seconds, Doctor Kovach, Rod, Kate, Becca and Horace were surrounding Mac's bed.

Rod- I swear she moved her eyes! Please Mac… it's ok… we are here… just open your eyes baby.

Mac wrinkled her eyes again. Doctor Kovach checked her while the rest looked expectantly. Then, the Doctor announced happily…

Doctor- yes, it looks like the President is finally trying to join us…

Suddenly, Mac opened her eyes completely. Everybody was overjoyed.

Doctor- welcome back. Ma'am President! now relax, I'm going to remove the tube of your mouth…

The Doctor removed the tube that helped Mac to breath. She coughed and tried to speak… she muttered something but she didn't have her voice completely back yet… Rod leaned towards her and said…

Rod- honey… we didn't hear you… what did you said?

Rod put his ear close to Mac's mouth and she said something again. Rod nodded and then looked at Kate smiling really widely… The rest of them looked at him with curiosity…

Kate- so… what did she said?

Rod was still smiling amazed, and explained…

Rod- she said: "I want the cookies now"

To be continued… 

**Author's note: Thanks for all the great reviews! They made my day! I'm sorry if I disappoint anybody… next chapter will be the last…. I have to kiss this story goodbye to focus in my other ones… I really going to miss this story… **

**Anyway… In the last chapter you will found out who will be Mac's new VP and if he wins the elections… (But I don't think that will surprise anybody).**

**The more your review the fastest I'll update the last chapter! **

**Lara **


	15. And let that be our legacy

**Author's note: This is the last chapter… is very hard saying goodbye to a story when you loved it so much… I'm really gonna miss writing this (Sniff). I hope you enjoy this ending… Mac chooses a VP and, tired of feeling like a candidate and not like a President, decides to make some changes for the time she had left and, hopefully, for the next 8 years. Some parts are inspired in another episode of The West Wing: "Let Bartlet be Bartlet". **

**The jackpot question: Will she win the election? Read to find out! And enjoy! **

**Chapter 15: **

And let THAT be our legacy… 

**Two weeks later… **

**The White House. Mac's bedroom. 19:00 Hs.**

Mac had been released from the hospital, but she wasn't allowed to go back to work yet. She still had to rest and stay in bed. Of course, being stubborn as she was, she insisted on giving orders and doing everything she could from her bed. Agent Daniel Carter knocked the door and entered shyly in the room…

Mac- Good evening, Agent Carter.

Agent Carter- Good evening , Ma'am President… I'm so glad to see you are getting better.

The Agent was actually very nervous but he was trying to cover it. He thought that the President had decided to fire him because he had failed to prevent the shooting.

Mac- Thanks. Please… take a sit…

She gestured at a chair that was next to her bed and The Agent sited on it.

Mac- How is your hand?

Agent Carter - it's fine, ma'am. Thank you... may I ask why you requested to talk to me?

Mac noticed how nervous Daniel was. It was like a child crying: "I know I'm in trouble could you just say so?" Mac decided to go straight to the point…

Mac- Agent Carter, the press asked Kelly, several times, why my exit wasn't covered the night of the shooting. And a lot of people are still wondering about that…

Daniel said, very mechanically…

Daniel- The Secret Service doesn't comment on procedure.

Mac rolled her eyes and got a bit upset…

Mac- Come on, Dan! It's just the two of us here! We know the truth… we know that what happened wasn't the Secret Service's fault….

Daniel relaxed a little, apparently Mac wasn't even thinking about firing him. Then he said…

Daniel- it wasn't anybody's fault…

Mac sighed and looked away thoughtfully.

Mac- a week before the shooting, you got a memo about my protection.

Dan- Yes, ma'am. I got it.

Mac- It said that I wanted to enter and exit any building in the open air, and that I didn't like the feeling of traveling around in an armored tank.

Daniel Carter nodded, indicating that he remembered the memo. Then Mac continued…

Mac- Specifically, it said I wouldn't use the tent or the canopy anymore. That memo was a direct order that I gave to the head of the Secret Service, that's you…

Dan nodded, and he could totally see where Mac was going now…

Agent Carter- I know you ordered us not to use the canopy, ma'am…. But that…

Mac cut him off, speaking very firmly and seriously…

Mac- Agent Carter, I don't think it's right that the Secret Service get blamed for what happened that night. I'll tell Kelly Ludlow to leak that memo to The Press.

Daniel shook his head and said with determination.

Agent Carter- No, ma'am, that can't be done. I mean it. It goes against our protocol to reveal anything about the security procedures.

Mac didn't care about that. She tried to reason with the Agent.

Mac- they are questioning the Secret Service's efficiency

Agent Carter- They always question it. Don't worry about it, Ma'am.

Mac shook her head. Obviously she was already very worried about it.

Mac- It's not right. You guys risk so much every day. I want people to know it was my fault.

Daniel obviously knew he couldn't stop The President or tell her what to do. But he could at least try to talk her out of doing something that he thought it was crazy.

Agent Carter- It wasn't your fault.

Mac shook her head, still incredulous. Daniel continued talking.

Agent Carter- It really wasn't your fault, Ma'am. It wasn't Horace's fault and it wasn't my fault. It wasn't anybody's fault. Believe me. It was an act of madmen. Do you think a tent was going to stop them? We got you to the hospital on time. We secured Horace. We caught the guy who gave the signal. And the shooters were down 9.3 seconds after the first shot was fired. Trust me on this, Ma'am President: I would never let you not let me protect you. You tell us you don't like something, we figure out something else. But unfortunately some things are just beyond control. This was purely an act of madmen.

Mac nodded weakly. She felt like a horrible burden had taken off her shoulder. She had felt so guilty for the shooting, and even when she had gotten the worst part, she know a lot of people had suffered because of what happened… not to mention the innocent people in the crow that got hit. Now she felt a little bit freer of guilt now.

Mac- ok…

The Agent considered the meeting was over. He stood up and, as a closure, simply said…

Agent Carter- Anyway, the Secret Service doesn't comment on security procedure.

Mac smiled amazed and shook her head. Sometimes, not even her could change how things worked. Then Daniel Carter started to leave the room… before he could reach the door, Mac said…

Mac- Agent Carter… you guys really did good job that night.

Daniel Carter smiled and said…

Agent Carter- Thank you, Ma'am President.

The Agent left the room and Mac started thinking about the conversation that had just taken place… Agent Carter had released her from her feeling of guilt… it was time for her to do the same with Horace. She knew that her son felt incredibly guilty, but she still hadn't talked about that with him. When Horace dropped by her room just to see how she was, she took the opportunity to approach the subject…

Mac- you know, Horace, I was told that while I was in surgery you said the shooting was your fault...

Horace looked down, saddened by the memory of what happened…

Horace- well… and wasn't it? I mean… you only got hit because they missed they real target: me.

Mac took his son's hand and, quoting Agent Carter, said…

Mac- It wasn't anybody's fault. It was just the act of madmen. It was a sick hate crime…

Horace guessed his mother was right and nodded weakly…

Horace- Yeah…

Mac- Horace, I also wanted to tell you: don't think, even for one second, that what happened made my change my position about your relationship with Tim. Honey, I'm very proud of you. And I'm proud of the way you handled receiving those death threats at the first place… It doesn't matter what happened, and it doesn't matter how you feel now… I'm still proud of you….

Horace shook his head; he didn't feel he deserved that…

Horace- You shouldn't…

Mac- are you kidding me? Honey… You got death threats because you are a boy and you are in love with another boy… You were warned… they told you "stop dating that boy or your life will be in serious danger" your response was: "To hell with that, I'm dating Tim anyway." And yes, that wasn't prudent, and I was really scared because I thought you would get kill… but you, at the age of 17, said: "I'll date whoever I want because a real man stands up for his believes".

Horace was moved. He was so happy that his mother saw it that way… She didn't blame him, she was glad he defended his believes. Then he was surprised when his mother added…

Mac- I wish I could speak up and stand up for my believes…

Horace- but you do that!

Mac shook her head and said bitterly…

Mac- not like I want… not anymore… ever since I became President I feel like all I do is to show up at work and do my job trying carefully not to piss too many people off in the way…

Horace- that's not true…

Mac- yes, it is… Everything I do, and everything I say, is carefully calculated… A lot of people told me: "For God's sake… don't settle for two years of borrowed Presidency". And the truth is… I really wanted four more years… so suddenly, I became a candidate… and I'm so busy trying to keep my job that I'm not doing the job the way I want to do it…

Horace had not idea his mother felt that way… he tried to say something encouraging.

Horace- If you feel like that, you can still fix that… you have time to do things your way…

**Two weeks later. Oval Office. Very early in the morning. **

It was Mac's first day back at work and she couldn't be happier. She had a lot of things to take care off. The first thing was a meeting with Nathan Templeton. Mac had read complete reports of everything that happened while she was out, but she still wanted the Speaker to inform her what he had done personally. Mac was impressed and surprised… Nathan had done exactly what Mackenzie would have done. Nathan noticed her surprise after he finished briefing her…

Nathan- Look… I did things your way… but I don't want you to take that as an indication that I like you and we are not enemies any more…

Mac laughed. Some things never change… and she thanked God for that.

Mac- Don't worry, Mr. Speaker.

Nathan- Seriously… I did things your way because I HAD to. I was obligated to do so because you were still The President… I was legally obligated to respect your orders and your wishes…

Nathan was talking about the fact that Mac never signed THE letter; therefore, Nathan never was Acting President on papers. They both had wanted to skip that formality: Mac because she wanted to keep some control and Nathan because he didn't want to quit as Speaker of the house just for a few days in the power. So Nathan was in charge for a while, but only in the practice.

Mac- I'm still thankful because you didn't do something stupid like invading North Korea.

Nathan laughed. He was so glad to see Mac ok… and Mac realized how much she had missed her talks to Nathan… hostiles as they were… They both realized that, somehow, they needed each other because nothing would be the same if one of them were missing. The world wouldn't be the same without the "Mac versus Nate" war. It would be like Superman not having Lex Luthor… It just couldn't be done. Nathan said, in his characteristic way…

Nathan- Don't feel too happy about it…. In a few months I'm gonna beat you at the elections and I'm gonna be President… and when that happens I'm gonna give those North Koreans a piece of my mind…

Mac shook her head laughing. Nathan was hopeless. They had nothing more to talk about, so they both stood up…

Mac- well, Mr. Speaker… I'm really looking forward to the elections… I'm dying to see who beats whom and who gets to teach the enemy a lesson…

Before leaving the Oval Office, Nathan turned around and said…

Nathan- Welcome back, Madame President.

Mac- Thank you…

They shared a heartfelt handshake, and then Nathan left the Office.

An hour later… 

Vince was in his way to the Oval Office. He passed by Kelly's office and he saw her kissing Dickie. He already knew that Dickie and Kelly were a couple now, and he thought it was great. He couldn't help to look at them thinking they were such a cute couple and how good Kelly could do to Dickie. The couple noticed they were being watched and broke apart… Kelly blushed and said shyly…

Kelly- may we help you, Vince?

Vince- no… I mean… yes… The President wants a meeting with you two plus Jim in two hours… she said she has an announcement to make…

The couple looked at each other worriedly, then they looked back at Vince.

Dickie- do you know what is it about?

Vince- no… I have no idea…

Kelly- we'll find out then, I guess…

Vince- yeah…

He started walking away from them. Then he turned around looking curiously at them again…

Vince- I was just wondering… Now that you two are dating, Is Dickie allowed to enter in the pressroom again?

The couple laughed… and then Dickie himself said…

Dickie- never again! I still have flashbacks…

Vince shook his head laughing. Then he walked away and went to the Oval Office. He entered shyly; The President seemed very concerned and busy analyzing a newspaper article.

Vince- excuse Ma'am… you said you needed to ask me something…

Mac- oh yes. After I make the announcement, I'm gonna need to talk on the phone with all the Senators… one by one…

Vince was surprised…

Vince- With ALL of them?

Mac- yes… I'm announcing my candidate for Vice President and I want to know if this person will have their support…

Vince- well... Do those calls have to be made in a particular order?

Mac thought about it for a few seconds and then she said…

Mac- no… I'll just start with those who support me, and when I'm done with those two I'll move on to the other ninety-eight.

Vince- very well… oh… and your eight o'clock is already outside, panicking…

Mac giggled, it wasn't eight o'clock yet… but she decided to be merciful.

Mac- ok… send Rod in now…

In a matter of seconds, Rod entered in the Oval Office, very concerned…

Rod- is something wrong, Mac? You had never needed to schedule a meeting between the two of us before…

That was true… If she needed to talk to him, she just did it. But what she had to say now was serious and required more formality.

Mac- nothing is wrong, Rod. I just needed to have a meeting with you as your President, not as your wife and mother of your children…

Rod was even more worried and confused now.

Rod- well... That's kind of hard because you are the three of them. You are my President, my wife and the mother of my children…

Mac- for the next 30 minutes I'm just your President…

Rod just couldn't believe Mac was serious about that because he simply couldn't understand why she needed to separate they personal relationship from their professional one. He said teasingly…

Rod- May I still call you Mac?

Mac- For the next 30 minutes you can't.

Mac said that very seriously and now Rod was really scared. He said seriously…

Rod- seriously… what's wrong?

Mac- nothing is wrong! I just have an important matter to discuss with you and it requires us to talk as President and Senior Advisor…

Rod nodded solemnly. He understood now and decided to do what Mac was asking.

Rod- Fair enough. Madame President, what's on your mind?

Mac showed him the article. The title was "Borrowed Presidency" and it was about Mac's time in The White House. However, It didn't talked about Mac herself… it talked about her senior staff, but especially about Rod's work as Mac's advisor and his former job and her Chief of staff when she was still VP. Rod read it carefully for a few seconds. Then Mac explained…

Mac- normally, I wouldn't worry about some reporter's opinion, but I happen to agree 100 with this… the article doesn't say anything I didn't know already but now I want to something about it…

Rod was afraid of what Mac might want to do… He simply said…

Rod- We've heard it all before, Ma'am President. They've always said that you have a very aggressive nature but I drove you to political safe ground. I don't think it's true.

Mac- well, I do… I think we're stuck in neutral because that's where YOU tell me to stay. You always make sure nobody runs too fast or goes off too far.

Rod was extremely disappointed and sad because Mac saw it that way…

Rod- First of all, I spent months in New York, out of your way… and second of, Madame President, all I've ever done was to look after you… I just wanted to make sure you win the elections because I wanted what's best for you…

Mac- I know you meant well. Rod, you are incredibly smart and you are the only one I can trust blindly… But I decided that it's time for a change…

Rod panicked. What was she trying to tell him?

Rod- Are you firing me?

Mac- no! The change is that I don't want to be in political safe ground anymore… and I need you to support that. Don't get me wrong, Rod, I want to win the next elections more than anything, and the one after that… but that can't be more important that defending what I think. You have accept tat there will be times when I'm going to put my foot down and say: "This is more important than the election, I wanna do the right thing". I want to feel like a President, not like a candidate…

Rod nodded. He knew that Mac wanted to be her self and do what she considered right without worrying about the polls and what people could think, that she didn't want to turn into a politician. But now he could really understand just how important was that to her. Actually, after reading the article, he realized he had made a huge mistake… staying in political safe ground wasn't for Mac.

Rod- yes, you are right. I was wrong and I'm sorry. I promise you that the next time you tell me that something is more important than the election and you want to do the right thing I won't try to stop you. The next time you want to be politically aggressive I will feel very proud of you and I'll say: "I serve at the pleasure of the President".

Mac smiled widely… She needed that unconditional support sometimes.

Mac- good… because I'm about to do something that some people might not like.

Rod- what is it?

Mac- I know who I want to be my Vice President…

Rod froze and suddenly the fear he felt at the beginning came back to him.

Rod- oh… and… who is him?

Mac- I very smart man… smarter than me…

Rod- I seriously doubt that… but can you trust him?

Mac- I'd trust him with my life…

Rod was really worried… who could that be? _"Please don't let it be Jim",_ he thought.

Rod- what his name?

As response, Mac took the article and pointed at the picture of Rod that was in it while saying…

Mac- Rod Calloway…

Rod was shocked. He honestly didn't expect that.

Rod- oh… well… I'm honored, really…

Mac- But you are worried…

Rod nodded. A part of him was overjoyed, but the other was a little very worried… first married couple sharing a Presidential ticket? First President married to the Vice President? That had never been done before.

Rod- yes… I have one main concern… Which is the mother of all the other concerns…

Mac- and Does it have to do with the fact that we are married?

Rod- Yes, actually.

Mac- we can make it work. Look, Rod, I feel that I got my ass kicked during my borrowed time in the White House… But I still have the chance to do things right. Rod, I know you can be politically aggressive if you want and I need to really shake things up for the little time I got left… and I need to prepare my self to seriously kick butts if I get elected…

Rod smiled. He was actually beginning to like what Mackenzie was saying. It was so "Mac"

Rod- Ma'am President, Do you have any strategy for that?

Mac nodded, she took a pen and started writing something on to notebook, very exited. Rod was curious and then Mac said…

Mac- I have the beginning of one. It just a start… but it's something I wanna try out for a while…

Rod- What is it?

Mac put the notebook on the desk in front of Rod… The notebook was open at one page, and Rod could read: "LET MAC BE MAC".

**At the time of the staff meeting. In the Roosevelt Room. **

Jim, Kelly and Dickie were waiting for the President to arrive. They had been told that Mackenzie wanted to speak to them first before talking to the rest of the staff… Mac and Rod finally entered in the room… After greeting everybody Mac said...

Mac- I asked to have this meeting because I have an announcement to make…

Dickie could guess exactly what it was about… he exclaimed happily when the realization hit him…

Dickie- You chose a Vice President! You finally have a new runny buddy!

Mac nodded smiling.

Mac- yes… after giving a lot of consideration… I decided that I want my Vice President to be my senior advisor: Rod Calloway…

Kelly was shocked. Jim was a little disappointed. Dickie was overjoyed and, true to his stile, started to have mental picture of the campaign and planning things…

Dickie- that's great Ma'am President… It will be weird for the people at first, but then they will love the idea of a happy couple working side by side for the sake of this country… I can see the banners in my head: "Allen - Calloway for America"…

Kelly shook her head amazed. Then everybody started congratulating Rod… When the handshakes, the hugs and the "congratulations" were over, Mac clapped her hands to call everybody's attention…

Mac- Listen up. I have one more thing to tell you: I'm not completely comfortable with the way we've been handling my campaign and I'm not entirely happy with my work so far…. And we only have five months to fix that. What we are going to do for the rest of my time in the White House is the following: we are going to walk into walls and I want us running into them full speed. Yes, we're gonna lose some battles, and we might even lose the White House, but we're NOT gonna be threatened by issues. We're gonna put them front and center. We're gonna raise the level of public debate in this country…. and let THAT be our legacy.

They all were pretty serious… Mac turned to Rod…

Mac- is that all right for you, Rod?

Rod nodded and smiled proudly… as an answer, he said…

Rod- I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States.

Mac smiled at him and then turned to look at Kelly…

Mac- Kelly, what about you?

Kelly- I serve at the pleasure of the President.

Mac looked at Dickie… He realized that it was his turn at said solemnly…

Dickie- I serve at the pleasure of President Mackenzie Allen

There was only one left. Mac looked at Jim at the eyes. Could she count with him?

Mac- Jim?

Jim paused for a second, and then nodded, saying…

Jim- I serve at the pleasure of President Allen.

Everyone turned their frowns and concerned looks into big smiles.

Mac- Good. Then let's get in the game! We have a potential Vice President that needs to be confirmed by both houses, an election to win and country to run the way it's meant to be run…

Five months later… Inauguration day. 

**White House's residential part. Presidential bedroom. **

Rod Calloway looked at him self in the mirror while he struggled to tie and straight his new tie. He had to be ready for the inauguration ball. That morning, Mac and him had taken their oaths and were finally President and Vice President of the United States elected by the people. Rod smiled happily…. This time the people chose Mac for the job… no more "borrowed presidency" or "President by accident", that phase was behind them. Then, he heard his wife's voice behind him…

Mac- Mr. Vice President, you look very hansom…

Rod turned around to see Mac and he was about to say something, but he suddenly froze, stunned to see how gorgeous Mac looked. She had a lovely and very fancy blue dress…

Rod- wow… Madame President, you take my breath away. Will your husband get mad if I kiss you?

Mac laughed. She really loved that kind of jokes.

Mac- I think he will get over it…

Rod leaned towards her and kissed her passionately for a few seconds. Then she helped him with his tie until it looked really perfect. That was it… they were ready to go to the inauguration ball.

White House's east room.

Mac was a little bit nervous. She and Rod were about to enter in the room where the ball would take place and Mac knew that ball would be the beginning of a new phase in her administration… and also in her life. Rod smiled at her and offered his arm…

Rod- ready to go to the ball, Ma'am President?

Mac nodded solemnly and linked her arm to Rod's.

Mac- oh… you bet I'm ready… just… don't let me fall.

She said that in every sense of the word. Rod simply said…

Rod- Don't worry. This is the time of Mackenzie Allen, my darling. Show this country what you are made off…

Mac smiled and they both walked into the ball with their arms linked as someone announced them and "Hail to the Chief" began playing.

The end… 

Well… this is really it. Please, tell me what you think… I want plenty of reviews!

I'm very thankful for the ones I already received.


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